Evoke
by L.A.H.H
Summary: A picture paints a thousand words...but the memories they can bring forth are far more than that. Moments from the lives of the Next Generation, as they inherit the world their parents saved for them. COMPLETE
1. Prologue

**Summary: A picture paints a thousand words....but the memories they can bring forth are far more than that. Moments from the lives of the Next Generation, as they inherit the world their parents saved for them. **

**This story involves characters already introduced in my previous story, Spring's New Dawn. If you haven't read it, that might make this make more sense....I will just briefly reintroduce them, however.**

**Rose Weasley - Ron and Hermione's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Alice Longbottom - Neville and Hannah's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Albus Severus Potter - Harry and Ginny's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Scorpius Malfoy - Draco and Astoria's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lorcan Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lysander Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Slytherin  
Lia Creevey - Dennis Creevey's daughter, Half-Blood, Sorted into Hufflepuff  
Aisha Siddiqui - Muggleborn, Sorted into Slytherin**

**The story starts on their very first night in Hogwarts.**

**Disclaimer: Would JK Rowling really publish a story about the Next Generation for free, when she could do it to an audience of millions in print? No. These characters and settings are not mine, other than Alice, Lia and Aisha, who are :D**

* * *

She has seen more loss in her lifetime than most, although not as much as the wizards and witches who came a generation before her. The deaths she has watched have been natural, too, at least for the most part.

Not that that made them hurt any less.

Eventually, with age came the acceptance that everyone has their time. And now everyone has had their time, but her. Parents, grandparents, siblings, friends and now, finally, her husband.

They'd shared so much. Good times, bad times. Moments which had dulled in her memory, or been cleanly forgotten. There were still a few that shone bright – births, weddings and deaths. In the end it came down to that.

There were a few other moments too, ordinary days and instants that echoed in the world around her. She lived in a world of ghosts now. The smell of vanilla still brought a tear to her eye. The taste and texture of ice-cream could make her hear a laugh so vivid and distinctive that she would nearly look around to find its maker.

It was impossible to remember exactly what happened, but you could try. She'd never been one to cling onto the past – she lived for the future – but she still had a few records. Not the legions of diaries that Alice had written, nor the Pensieve that Rose had maintained. Not the poems Lysander had written, and thought nobody knew about. Not the voice recordings Scorpius had made, fearful of forgetting just how he felt.

Only pictures. Photographs, snapshots. Mostly wizarding, a few Muggle. Not taken by herself – she had little skill with a camera, nor drawn by Lorcan, who had considerable talent with a pen. Usually photographed by Lia, who was better than most, having the patience and the empathy to provoke the right response from a subject.

Not many, either. They hadn't even filled the album she had kept them in. And which she now took them out of, allowing herself one last lingering look before scattering them over the graves.

She visited three cemeteries. In reality, the remains of her friends were strewn across three continents, but their gravestones were not, and it was here that she left pictures. Pictures of unlined faces, hair which had not yet greyed.

Very different from her own, as her hand, shaking with arthritis and spotted by age, let the photographs fall. As she let go of them, she brought back the memories she had pushed down for ease of living. Allowed the spectres of the past which had only accumulated with time to rise up and accompany her as she left for her final journey.

But not alone. Dead, her friends might be. But their friendship had been a bond beyond that, and they were not separated. Only waiting.

* * *

**Sorry, this is just a prologue. It'll make sense if you keep reading until the end :D**


	2. You're In Wonderland, It's Magic

**Thank you if you read or reviewed the Prologue...this is the beginning of the story proper.**

**For reviewing, an especial thanks to: Someone aka Me, Arlath's Daughter, Kitty Bridgeta, Baying-For-The-Moon, Likewow556 and iluvwriting2009.**

**Rose Weasley - Ron and Hermione's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Alice Longbottom - Neville and Hannah's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Albus Severus Potter - Harry and Ginny's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Scorpius Malfoy - Draco and Astoria's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lorcan Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lysander Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Slytherin  
Lia Creevey - Dennis Creevey's daughter, Half-Blood, Sorted into Hufflepuff  
Aisha Siddiqui - Muggleborn, Sorted into Slytherin**

**As always with me, **_italics _**are a character's thoughts.**

**The story starts on their very first night in Hogwarts. **

* * *

**Chapter One: You're In Wonderland, It's Magic**

Ravenclaw

Once the first-years had finished eating, and Professor Adams had wished them all goodnight, two Prefects came and stood beside them. They seemed unbelievably tall to the eleven year-olds, for all that they did their best to smile and put them at ease.

After introducing themselves, they led their group out of the Great Hall and up a flight of stairs. Alice noticed that they were walking with the Gryffindors, whilst the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs had peeled off to their different destinations at the foot of the stairs.

As they climbed ever higher, their group eventually diverged from the Gryffindor group, until it finally came to a halt at the top of a winding spiral staircase. There was no portrait, as Rose had been told to expect from her Gryffindor relatives. Only a plain wooden door, with a bronze eagle knocker fixed to it.

"Okay, this is the entrance to our Common Room," one of the Prefects announced. "We don't have passwords, like the other three houses do. Instead we have riddles, or questions."

"What if you don't know the answer?" a boy asked.

"Then you wait until someone comes along who does. That was, you learn at the same time." The Prefect turned back to the eagle and rapped once with it. Its beak opened with a croak.

The students weren't overly surprised to hear a voice issue from the eagle. If a hat could talk, why not an eagle?

"A man with no legs leaves from the starting line just a pace ahead of an athlete. Neither become injured in the race. How does the disabled man cross the finishing line, a hundred metres away, first?"

A buzz of conversation started between the younger students. "The man gets distracted?" Anthony Stretton, tall and blond, suggested.

"A possible scenario," the Hat allowed, "and normally I'd let you in. However, it's been asked that I wait for the desired reply."

"The teachers must have asked that," Kate O'Keefe said, chewing her lip. "Why would they?"

"Because they've all got an agenda this year," Alice realised. "They're doing everything they can to promote unity."

"So, unity, teamwork – what kind of answer would relate to that?" Jeremy Towler asked. He grinned. "The athlete sat on the disabled man's lap?" he joked, then gasped.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Gina Simmons asked.

"The athlete was pushing the disabled man's wheelchair?" Rose said. The other two nodded, indicating that had been their answer too.

The eagle let out a musical chime, and the door swung open to reveal the Ravenclaw Common Room. Painted a beautiful blue, the very first thing the students noticed was the ceiling, dotted as it was with sparkling stars. Strips of blue and bronze silks lined the walls, and Rose could tell even through her shoes that the carpet was thick and soft.

Professor Flitwick stood on a table near the fireplace. He scanned the crowd, and nodded to the Prefects, who hushed the first-years.

"Congratulations on coming to Hogwarts," he told them. "And especial congratulations on your brain. That's what has landed you in this excellent house! If some of you are thinking now that you don't belong here, you are wrong. We are not just the House that gets the best grades and knows all the answers – though we are that too – we are the House that asks the best questions. How else are you going to find out the answers? I am sure that you are all a perfect fit for the blue and bronze badge. You'll all hold up our name excellently. But nobody can ask the right questions without their team behind them. We can have the tendency to hole up in a room and study until we drop. I am indeed giving you permission to go and socialise. Real-life experience is the best way to learn new things. And to learn new things, you have to speak to different people – including other Houses. They might be different, but that doesn't mean that they're wrong. Don't judge by stereotypes, it's not a very intelligent thing to do!"

As the speech finished, and Professor Flitwick got down off the table. The Prefects showed the group of first-years where the dorms where and they were glad to go up. It had been a very long day, or so it seemed.

The girls' trunks were all in the middle of the room. Alice collapsed on the bed nearest to the bathroom, whilst Rose engaged in the polite you-pick-no-you-pick. At last it was all arranged, and the girls began to unpack.

* * *

Gryffindor

Roxanne frowned as she lost sight of her younger cousin, but resigned herself to it. She'd known that Rose would end up in Ravenclaw, and she continued the climb to her the Common Room, lost in contemplation.

Dominique, as Gryffindor Prefect, didn't have the luxury of watching Rose, close though they were. She was caught up with guiding other relatives to the Gryffindor Common Room. She tried to watch Albus unobtrusively, noticing how the only two he spoke to was Lorcan Scamander and the Malfoy kid. She frowned, uncertain what she thought of that.

"Dominique?" It was the voice of her fellow Prefect. She jumped and focused, realising they were stood by the Fat Lady's portrait.

"This is the entrance to our Common Room," she explained. "Only Gryffindors can come through this entrance. Apparently other Houses are going to be let through the Inter-House Common Room, but hopefully we'll find out more about that later."

"You just speak the password," her partner explained, "and the Fat Lady will let you in."

"Doesn't she mind?"

Dominique looked for who was speaking. It was Lorcan, his brown eyes scrunched in a frown.

"Mind letting people in? No, of course not."

"No, mind being called the Fat Lady. It's a bit insensitive, isn't it?"

A few children chortled awkwardly. Albus and Scorpius both grinned in identical amusement.

"I…um, I don't know," Dominique replied. She looked at the other Prefect for help, but the answer came from the portrait behind her.

"What a delightful question," the Fat Lady cooed. "Of course I don't! We've moved past such things as vanity now, my dear. Although, if you meet Sir Cadogan, don't call him the Mad Knight, whatever his label says." She glanced back at the prefects. "You were saying…." she prompted happily.

"Okay, well, the password right now is _Galahad_. Any, um, other questions?" Dominique finished. At the collective head-shaking, she stood aside to let the first-years pass. Albus was talking to Lorcan now, she noticed. The only one who was, since the other students were giving him a wide berth.

Malfoy was talking to – or being talked at by a bouncy girl with brown ringlets and a Scottish accent.

"You can call me Bran, though," she was saying. "Everyone does. Everyone being all the people back home, most of whom are just mystified as to where I've gone off to. O_bviously, w_e couldn't say it was a magic school_._"

To the young Malfoy's credit, he was responding with a politeness which was quite rare in eleven year old boys.

"Dominique! Come on!" It was Kate, her best friend. Dominique shook herself out of her thoughts and hurried through the portrait hole in time to catch a part of Professor Longbottom's welcome speech.

It had similarities to her own, five years ago. That had been Professor Longbottom's first speech as the new Head of Gryffindor. She'd been told since that he'd been absolutely terrified. Which had been the main part of his speech, that being a Gryffindor wasn't about being fearless, but about conquering your fears. Nobility wasn't always saving the world from Dark Wizards, but could be as little a thing as choosing not to rise to another's bait. Chivalry wasn't saving the damsel in distress – indeed, many damsels he knew would be more likely to be saving _you _in that situation – but about helping to pick up the books of someone who had dropped them, or letting someone else through a door first.

As Longbottom dismissed them, Dominique dismissed her memories from her mind and eagerly took a seat with her closest friends, who she'd missed over the summer. Fred was sat nearby, with his own group and Victoire was sat across the room.

The sisters' eyes met, and Dominique's eyebrows raised, knowing exactly what Victoire was doing – checking up on all of her younger cousins, precisely what Teddy would have done had he been there.

Smiling, knowing that Dominique had rumbled her, Victoire continued to check where they all were. It was her duty, as the eldest Weasley and as Head Girl. James had settled in front of the fire and was already telling tall tales about what he'd got up to over the summer. Lucy and Molly had a group gathered around them and they were busy entertaining them with Merlin knows what.

_Fred's there, chatting away, but eyeing the window at the same time. I know already that as Quidditch Captain, he's planning the tryouts. We all know who to hope for, Chaser being the only vacant position – and that being James' preferred place. We want the all-Weasley team that'll hopefully sweep us to the Cup once more._

Up in the dormitories, a slightly awkward silence reigned. Lorcan hadn't unpacked anything, instead choosing to settle cross-legged on his bed and close his eyes. None of them had as yet commented on this odd behaviour, although at least two boys were waiting for the other to do so, to be able to jump on each other's throats.

At last Gabriel, a boy who had been part of Wayne's group of eight, engaged him in conversation. Scorpius and Albus did the same, both with a slight sense of disappointment and relief. It wasn't that they had wanted a fight, just that they knew one was inevitable.

* * *

Hufflepuff

"I expect the best from all of you. You will hear dismissive comments on the mental ability of our House, and it is true that the best results is not what we hold most dear. However, doing the best that you can, putting the most effort in and, above all, doing so as a team are all qualities that will lead you to succeed beyond ambition, intelligence or bravery."

Lia continued to think about Professor Samson's speech all the way to their dormitories, which were down little underground tunnels. The roof seemed to tower above her now, although she noticed a few of the older students having to stoop slightly to enter the round doors.

Her housemates followed her, the five girls entering a room which seemed wonderfully cosy, painted with yellow walls and with a fire flickering behind the grate.

They all unpacked, cheery conversation about very little filling the air. Where they were from, which ranged all over England, and their past experiences of schools. Lauren and Abbey were both Muggleborn, so had a schooling history much like Lia's. Amy had been privately tutored all of her life, whilst Demelza had been dragged all over the world thanks to her parents' jobs – envoys, one on the behalf of the British Government, and one on behalf of the Ministry of Magic.

Finally, they were done and tucked into bed. It didn't take long before the remembrance that school began early the next morning, at which point the candles were blown out and good nights' were bid.

But Lia lay awake, too excited to sleep. Tomorrow, she'd be learning magic!

* * *

Slytherin

Although she didn't know it, another girl also lay with her eyes wide open, not so many metres away. Aisha couldn't quite believe it. It all seemed unreal, so much of a walking dream that she didn't dare to sleep. Of course, she'd known for weeks about Hogwarts, but it had been a fairy tale. Unreal. Not something that happened to her. Not something that would actually happen. And now, she was here, it was real….

Very real. She recalled her slow descent into the depths of the castle. A few of the other students had squirmed, made uneasy by the dark corridors and damp walls. But she only watched, her dark eyes growing wider to adjust to the gloom.

Lysander had helped with that. He had been sarcastic and sweet by turns until, soon after seeing a wall vanish in response to a password, Aisha had snapped out of it.

She'd been one of the last to walk away from Professor Pucey's welcome talk. Not that it had been so mesmerising that it had held her so long. The words had been interesting, but the man himself didn't seem to be the most inspirational speaker. He'd talked of cunning and ambition, and that the best way to secure an ambition was not always through the typical Slytherin attributes, but through a mix of every way used by every house. Being open to change was often the best path to furthering oneself.

Then she'd bid Lysander goodbye, with the same regret she'd felt for her family. Strange, since they'd only known one another for a few days, but she felt a sudden fear of the unknown, of facing everyone in that room.

And then, she'd ignored it. Fixed a smile onto her face and hurried into the dormitory.

"We left you that bed. Is that alright?" asked one girl, Violetta, if Aisha's memory served her right.

"That's great. They all look amazingly comfortable." She smiled at the other four girls. "I've never slept in a four-poster bed before."

Natasha laughed. "Not many of us have, I don't think. At least, not me." She collapsed on her own bed. "Although, this is so comfortable. I plan on making it a habit."

"I love the curtains," Meghan agreed. "They're so private, it's like disappearing every time that you pull them closed."

Liv frowned. "Not to be nosy," she began, "but is there anyone else here to who the idea of actual disappearing was a massive shock? I mean, the closest anyone back home got to invisibility was when there was a low-lying fog."

"No, it's all new to me too. Neither of my parents were witches. Wizards. You know what I mean." Aisha sighed.

"Well, my Mum was," Natasha said. "Not my Dad though. And my Mum is from Bulgaria, so she never came to Hogwarts."

"My Dad did," Meghan filled in. "He loved it. He was in Ravenclaw though. I'm not sure how he'll react to me being in Slytherin."

"My Mum and Dad'll be devastated," Violetta said bluntly.

All four of the others turned shocked looks on her, the surprise in their eyes of varying intensity. Meghan's was the most stunned.

The brunette shrugged. "Just thought I'd get that out of the way. Feel free to spread it around. My Dad and Grandad were Death Eaters, you see, and I really don't want people thinking that they brought me up to believe that Slytherin is the only way forward, and that Muggles are scum beneath our feet."

There was an awkward silence for a moment, broken by Aisha. "This reminds me a little bit of a conversation on our boat. Scorpius Malfoy and pretty much all the others?"

"Who were the others?" Violetta asked.

"Weasley, Potter, Longbottom, Creevey, and the Scamanders'," Meghan replied.

Aisha smiled slightly. Clearly, noticing things was a House trait.

Meghan, Natasha and Violetta all nodded in understanding. "Wow, you couldn't have been on a more tense boat," Meghan muttered.

"I don't know, I don't think ours was particularly friendly," Violetta sighed.

Meghan and Natasha nodded in fervent agreement.

"Why, what happened?" Liv asked. Aisha made a mental note to befriend her. So far, she'd hardly spoke, other than to ask a question. _Shyness, curiosity, or tactics?_ Aisha wondered.

"We got attacked by the Chimaera." Natasha snapped. "And Macmillan was giving orders right, left and centre. Elliot didn't say much, unless it was to keep us girls out of danger. Bloody Gryffindor fool. We can take care of ourselves, thank you very much."

"And then Macmillan made some pointed comment about how Violetta had probably planned this," Meghan said, disgust in her tone. "When it was obvious that she was as shocked as the rest of us."

"Then the Chimaera bit Daisy Peakes' hand off, and we ended up on the floor of the Entrance Hall," Natasha finished.

Violetta had remained silent throughout all of this.

"So, it's going to be peaceful in the Gryffindor dormitory," Aisha said thoughtfully.

All of the others laughed, getting the sarcasm. "_And the reason behind it," _Aisha thought. _So Liv must know more about wizarding history than she's letting on. Smart move."_

The conversation had passed on, to siblings and to subjects. They avoided the topic of the other people in their year. Until it became clear where friendship groups lay, gossip was possibly a no-no.

* * *

**So?**

**Please review, Alert, keep reading!**

**By the way, the Chapter titles are all going to be lines from various songs that I think fit. Extra brownies to anyone who can identify the song!**


	3. I'm On My Way

**Will anyone join me for a rousing chorus of 'We All Want FF To Work Now!' It's the fourth verse of 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas', after 'We All Want Some Figgy Pudding!'**

**I hope you all get the Alert for this, when I put it out instead of a day after!**

**Thank you if you reviewed my last chapter: Kitty Bridgeta, Someone aka Me, Likewow5556, Arlath's Daughter and **

**This is definitely my last update before Christmas, and possibly my last one this year (decade) so I wanted to say thank you to everyone and I hope you have a great Christmas and a fantastic New Year.**

**Characters: **

**Rose Weasley - Ron and Hermione's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Alice Longbottom - Neville and Hannah's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Albus Severus Potter - Harry and Ginny's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Scorpius Malfoy - Draco and Astoria's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lorcan Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lysander Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Slytherin  
Lia Creevey - Dennis Creevey's daughter, Half-Blood, Sorted into Hufflepuff  
Aisha Siddiqui - Muggleborn, Sorted into Slytherin**

* * *

**Chapter 2: I'm On My Way**

**September 1st - Their First Day of School**

Terrified, elated, bewildered, homesick. These were only a few of the multitude of emotions that were plaguing the first-years as they hurried down to their first morning. From the Slytherin dorm, Aisha came, already talking with a few girls from her year. Lysander joined them, and they sat together on a table. When Lia came down, trailing a little behind her house-mates, Aisha waved her over. The girl's uncertain smile blossomed into a real one, and she joined them, followed only a moment later by Lorcan.

From there, they could watch the older students looking highly disconcerted at the new arrangement of seating – the House tables, as promised, had gone. Now the room was full of little circular tables of six, and one massive buffet table.

All the Ravenclaws arrived together, Rose leading the group. Sighting Albus and Scorpius sitting alone at a nearby table, Rose and Alice joined them, Rose giving a quick wave to Aisha, the twins and Lia's table and smiles to the various ones which contained family members.

"Did you sleep alright?" Lysander asked Lia and his brother.

Lia nodded; Lorcan grinned. "Fantastically!" he enthused. "Would you believe, those mattresses only have duck feathers in them? I thought it must be Dodo down, they were so soft."

Lysander smiled, remembering the camp where they had first seen a dodo, two years ago. For Aisha's benefit, he added,

"Dodos aren't really extinct. We sometimes call them Diricawls, and they can just vanish whenever they want to. So it doesn't seem like there's any left."

She sighed. "After finding out that magic exists, I'm not really surprised. I was _quite_ open-minded before, but now I could believe anything."

"Dragons, unicorns, centaurs, sea serpents, ghosts…" Liv Donovan, a fellow Muggleborn Slytherin agreed. "It's so weird."

Professor Adams was already in her seat, conversing with Professor Corner. She glanced up and, seeing that the room was mostly full, raised her wand.

Glittering words traced themselves in the air – most turned to look. Rose read them aloud.

"New timetables will be available outside the Hall. Please go when you have finished your breakfast."

She turned back to her table of four. "Wonder what we've got first," she mused.

"Wonder which Houses we have different lessons with," Alice added. It had been a big subject with her father.

"Hurry up and eat, and you'll find out," Albus told them, spooning cereal into his mouth as he spoke.

Scorpius looked sideways at him. "You know you're the only one still eating, right?" he asked. Albus glanced around. Alice was sipping at a glass of water, the massive pile of sausages that had been on Rose's plate had vanished and Scorpius was brushing crumbs off his robes. Wolfing down the last of his breakfast, the four stood.

"We have flying today," Rose gasped excitedly as soon as she received her timetable. Alice looked a little paler than usual, if that was possible.

"And Wednesday morning lie-ins," Albus said. "That'll be because Astronomy goes on until midnight."

"What's 'Study'?" Scorpius asked. "Study of Something?"

"No, it's a new lesson," Alice explained. "Americans do it, according to my dad – Professor Adams introduced it. You just sit in a classroom and do homework. I don't get it, really."

"I guess we'll get it on Friday," Albus interjected. "At least, we will – when have you got it?"

"Friday too," Rose answered. "And you have Flying with us today, and Herbology." She was looking over Al's shoulder at his timetable.

"But Defence Against the Dark Arts with us," said Aisha, coming up behind them. "And Potions, which we have next."

Albus suddenly looked panicked. "Potions? But I left my Potions book in the dormitory. I didn't know which ones we'd need."

"None of us did," Rose pointed out. "That's why I've got them all."

"Relax," Scorpius told Albus. "We can go up and get them, I haven't got mine either."

"But it's all the way on the fifth floor," Rose reminded them. "Will you have time?"

"We'll have to run," the three Gryffindor boys agreed, and did so.

Aisha and Lysander turned to go. "Have fun in Defence Against the Dark Arts," Aisha told Lia and the other two girls.

"Have you got your book?" Rose asked Alice, who shook her head.

"They wouldn't all fit in my bag," she explained.

"Defence Against the Dark Arts is really near my Common Room," Lia suggested. "Why don't you cut through the Inter-House Common Room so that you're not late?"

"That's a really good idea," Alice said, sounding startled.

"Will that be allowed?" Rose asked.

Alice shrugged. "I don't care," she told them, and hurried away.

The other two headed in the direction of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Alice did make it on time, despite having clearly not run.

"Fantastic idea," Rose told Lia, who blushed. "Why didn't you suggest it to the boys?"

Potions was, of course, very near to the Slytherin Common Room. Lia looked down. "They scare me," she confessed quietly. Rose had to lean closer – Lia could be hard to hear, sometimes. "they're so loud, and big…" she trailed off, embarrassed.

Alice smiled cautiously at her. "You're an only child, right?" she asked.

Lia nodded, looking surprised that Alice had remembered. It would take a few weeks before the others noticed that this was a constant characteristic for her – being surprised at anyone's interest in her.

"Do you have any pets?"

Lia nodded. "A dog. A Yorkshire terrier."

"Pretend like they're one of your dogs," Alice instructed. "Yappy, attention-seeking. Always jumping up at you. But harmless, really."

Rose laughed. "That's such a perfect description," she grinned. "Especially of Albus."

"Come in," announced Professor Samson suddenly. He was unnervingly inconspicuous, capable of simply slipping through the crowd until he was at his door. They all filed in, sitting at desks which were surely the same as their parents had sat at, judging from the scuff marks and stains. Names were engraved onto the underside, where nobody but a student would notice and clean them off.

"This is Defence Against the Dark Arts," Professor Samson announced. It didn't seem like it – the room, at ground-level, was bright and airy, with huge windows set in the walls. It wasn't chilly, however, despite the September fog.

"As you continue with this subject, more and more that you learn will have the possibility of being abused. There is no dividing line between Dark Arts and the spells which defend against them. Very few spells are inherently evil. Can anyone give me an example of a spell which can be misused?"

Hands shot up, Rose's amongst them. Alice lifted her arm half-heartedly, while Lia debated internally whether or not to do so.

"Miss Burke?"

"Diffindo?"

"Excellent. Five marks to Hufflepuff. Yes, Diffindo, the Severing Charm, can be very useful. It can save a life, if you are fleeing and your robes are caught. But it can also end one. Miss Weasley?"

"Sir," Rose began. "Are there any spells which are entirely good?"

She didn't bother to ask which spells were entirely evil. Although a few were longing for someone to do so, most knew very well.

"Protego, the Shield Charm, is difficult to misuse, although you could argue that an evil wizard could use it. And to answer the question that is being thought – no, the Unforgivables are _not _all evil."

Gasps of shock broke out. Demelza Sloper dropped the quill with which she had been taking notes. Anthony Stretton folded his arms, disbelief clear in his posture.

"Say a man has been in an accident. He has lost his hearing, and cannot hear you. He is walking directly towards a cliff. You are too far away to cast Wingardium Leviosa. The Imperius curse is infinitely more powerful. Do you stop him from walking off the cliff?"

Alice frowned. '_Surely you could just place a Barrier Charm,_' she thought obstinately, but didn't speak.

"I am not saying that they should not be banned. They are designated Unforgivable for a reason. But do not imagine that you are too virtuous to ever find yourself wanting to use one. I would hope," his gaze scanned them all, "that you would find an alternative. Torture, murder, or the removal of another human being's free will is an horrific, soul-destroying act. But the motivations of those who commit these crimes are rarely as dark and as clear-cut as you might imagine."

With that motivating speech, he moved onto more cheerful matters – the teaching of the Disarming Charm, Expelliarmus.

Several floors down, a very different lecture was being given. While Professor Samson's face had been solemn and foreboding, Professor Corner's practically gleamed with joy. They'd been warned that he was enthusiastic, and he certainly was. Lorcan, Scorpius and Albus had just arrived in time, and were sat in a row right in front of him as he spoke, unable to even crack a smile at his obvious delight.

From the amount he'd been rhapsodising over it, you'd think that Potions was what made the world go round.

Aisha hadn't been certain what to expect for her first magical lesson; but this certainly wasn't it. The classroom didn't seem magical at all. True, there were cauldrons sitting everywhere, but they could be props. Professor Corner was entirely too ordinary too, an impression not helped by her memory of him as the man who had turned up on her doorstep, dressed in Muggle clothes. Although his errand had been to inform her about a magical school, he'd still managed to look more like a businessman than a wizard.

The only thing that did occur, however, was a continual passing of notes between her and Lysander, who was telling her about the part Professor Corner had played in the Wizarding War – a considerable one, apparently. He'd been quite the hero. That was where that little scar, that one could just see vining up his neck, came from. But for a hero, he didn't do any magic!

Her next lesson, Charms with the Ravenclaws, was far more satisfactory. The person teaching it, Professor Flitwick, even looked magical. And instead of talking about Charms, they got right down to work.

She felt a moment of terror as she attempted to levitate the feather in front of her, and nothing happened. What if they had got it wrong? What if she wasn't a witch? It didn't help that Rose had already managed it perfectly.

"Wingardium Leviosa," she tried again, nervousness making her movements even more precise. To her shock and delight, the feather began to float upwards.

"Congratulations, Miss Siddiqui," Professor Flitwick said, and she gave him a smile of thanks. Her main attention, however, was still focused on the feather. '_That's impossible' _she thought dizzily. Of course, she'd seen magic done – Professor Corner had used it to convince them that he wasn't some trickster when he'd visited her house, and then she'd even managed to produce sparks when she chose her wand.

For the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, Transfiguration wasn't going as well. Professor Bell had taken a leaf from Professor McGonagall's book, and arrived to the lesson as her Animagus – slightly more conspicuous than McGonagall, as a palomino horse.

She lectured them briefly, before waving her wand. Matches soared from a matchbox, one landing on every desk. She instructed them on how to transform them into needles, and most paid rapt attention, or, in the case of Scorpius and Albus, tried to. Lorcan didn't seem to be paying any attention at all, only gazing at a scorch-mark on his desk.

Albus leaned over and muttered in Scorpius' ear. "I'm surprised they let us do this. It's not exactly safe, is it? Turning something flammable into something sharp. Health and Safety nightmare."

Scorpius grinned. Lifting his wand, he tried to follow Professor Bell's instructions exactly. Unfortunately, he must have either misheard or mispronounced something, because instead of transforming, his match set alight. He quickly put it out, but it was too late. Rather than a match, he now had a blackened stick of wood.

He stared at it in dismay, as Albus tried and failed to stifle his laughter.

"Mr Malfoy."

It was Professor Bell. He jumped guiltily and stared up at her. "Sorry, Professor." he said feebly. "I think I did something wrong."

Albus snorted, a renewed fit of giggles coming over him.

"Yes," she snapped. "You didn't listen to my instructions. Five points from S-Gryffindor." She tapped the destroyed match with her wand, and it crumbled into ash. Albus instantly stopped laughing, his face a mask of surprise.

"Can I have another match?" Scorpius asked quietly.

"No. You may observe this lesson, which might prove an incentive to pay full attention in future."

She swept away, the gazes of several class members following her, flicking to Scorpius and then back to their work. Albus gave Scorpius an apologetic look. "Sorry, mate." he said. His friend shrugged.

"That was strange," Lorcan commented. "Everyone has said she's quite understanding."

"Mmm, strange," Scorpius muttered darkly. Containing his disappointment and refusing to meet anyone's gaze, he turned to watch Albus attempt to Transfigure his match.

The group of them met up for lunch. Alice and Scorpius ate heartily, all the better to avoid talking about the lessons which had been or which were coming up. Aisha and Rose, on the other hand, were full of conversation.

All too soon for some, lunchtime was over, and it was off to Herbology for the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins, and Flying for the others.

Aisha spent the first few minutes of Herbology trying to see a resemblance between Professor Longbottom and Alice, and coming up short. They both had pale blue eyes, but there the similarities ended. Admittedly, Alice was eleven and might still grow into her father's intimidatingly tall stature, and his face might possibly have been round in his youth. The scars that crossed his cheeks however, along with the age gap, made it hard to tell.

In character, however, she would have put him as Lia's father rather than Alice's. Although he clearly knew what he was talking about, he seemed very reassuring, a man to whom you wouldn't hesitate to go with problems.

Lysander tried to maintain his interest, but struggled. Not only was his Herbology well past this beginning stage, but he'd always disliked the subject. Really, who cared? As long as somebody could grow the stupid things, why did he have to know?

In her Flying Lesson, Alice was having very similar thoughts. Some people could fly; why did she have to be one of them? Standing over her broom, yelling 'Up!' at the stupid plank of wood, was not how she wanted to spend her day.

In fact, Rose and, when it was their turn, Albus and Scorpius, didn't find their first flying lesson overly exciting either. They all knew how to fly – their parents had taught them almost before they could walk, and to have to go through correct seating (and to have their grips and seating corrected, even though they knew that it worked!) was infuriating.

Nor, when she finally arrived at her final lesson, did Alice's mood improve. She'd both looked forward to and dreaded this lesson with equal measure. She and her father had briefly talked about it, and decided just to act like they weren't related. But she couldn't help but wonder if it would be awkward.

In the end, it wasn't. There were a few glances thrown her way when Professor Longbottom introduced himself, but either people moved past that or they decided that the two couldn't be related.

Either way, the overriding theme of the lesson was dull to Alice. Lorcan was having the time of his life; he knew the answers, and even managed to surprise Professor Longbottom a few times. Rose enjoyed it quite a bit too; Albus and Scorpius liked being able to chat during a lesson without being told off. It was quite relaxing.

But to Alice, like Lysander, she was having to learn things which she had been told several times before – things about which her father had talked over the dinner table, although she'd always eventually tuned out. The knowledge was interesting, sure. The applications of the plants, and their different properties. But actually growing them?

Alice had always held a view of magical plants, which was similar to her view of animals – if they were temperamental or demanding, they deserved what they got. Whilst Neville became enthused about a particular variety of Flossweed that would only grow if calcium was added to its soil at precisely midnight, she considered that if a plant was that picky, it could starve.

Not an opinion she dared voice however, either to her father or, she was deciding, to Lorcan, who seemed of a similar type.

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**Why is there snow in Southern England right now? I hate snow. I live down south so we don't get snow**

**Please review! Even if it's just to tell me that I'm a miserable Scrooge, and it's fantastic that there'll still be snow on the ground this Christmas.**

**Season's Greetings, everybody :D**


	4. Cut The Cord

**Hello, everyone! I hope you had a great Christmas and New Year. Any New Year Resolutions been broken yet?**

**An especial thank you to last chapter's reviewers: mystlyx, Kitty Bridgeta, Arlath's Daughter, talapadme, susiipie, Doni, Someone aka Me and Likewow5556**

**By the way, to those who asked - no, Professor Bell (who was, of course, Katie Bell) didn't like Scorpius. Because of Draco - and the whole cursed necklace thing**

**Characters: ****Rose Weasley - Ron and Hermione's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Alice Longbottom - Neville and Hannah's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Albus Severus Potter - Harry and Ginny's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Scorpius Malfoy - Draco and Astoria's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lorcan Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lysander Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Slytherin  
Lia Creevey - Dennis Creevey's daughter, Half-Blood, Sorted into Hufflepuff  
Aisha Siddiqui - Muggleborn, Sorted into Slytherin**

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**Chapter 3: Cut The Cord**

**1st-5th September - The First Letters From Home**

Being at boarding school can be hard. Contact with home often makes it better. But at Hogwarts, there is no letter in the year more dreaded, or more welcomed, than the first letter. Especially after such an unusual Sorting.

Letters take different times to arrive, as well. The very evening of arriving at Hogwarts, Lia, Albus, Rose and Scorpius sent letters home with all the story of their dramatic adventure and subsequent Sorting.

The letters differed in tone, too. Rose, Albus and Scorpius both included very similar messages – _**'don't freak out about Scorpius being on my boat or in my dorm. He's really a great guy'**_ was Al's.

Rose and Scorpius had an extra thing to say, about being Sorted into Houses that their parents might not have expected. Scorpius was characteristically casual about it, whilst Rose picked a tone halfway between reassuring and sarcastic. _**'Now, if you're eating anything, stop. I don't want you to choke, or Dad to spray anything all over the table. Mum might kill you. And one of the other Weasleys might kill me for breaking a decades-old tradition and being Sorted into Ravenclaw. No, don't bother to read the sentence again. You got it right the first time. RAVENCLAW! I'm here with Alice Longbottom, who seems pretty friendly. And the world didn't stop turning on its axis or anything, so I'm happy. At least, I think it didn't.'**_

Alice's letter, when she finally sent it the next day, contained a slightly different message. _**'It's a bit weird having Scorpius hang around with us, after everything I've heard about the Malfoys, but he's not that awful, I suppose.' **_Typically for Alice, she didn't mention what was most on her mind – being put in Ravenclaw, where she knew she belonged, rather than Hufflepuff or Gryffindor like her parents.

Aisha, like Alice, used a school owl to send hers, but it would take the longest to arrive – it had to be delivered to the doorstep under cover of darkness so as not to alert neighbours. She enclosed two letters – one as if she really was attending a specialist boarding school for students who were particularly gifted at writing, where she could at least talk about the people she'd met (necessary for her two youngest siblings, who had no idea about Hogwarts), and one for her parents and older sister, all about the Sorting and the magic.

Lorcan and Lysander had no owl, but they did have what looked like a parakeet, sent ahead of the train by their parents. They wrote their letters separately, then both got together at breakfast to send them together, neither peeking at the other's words. It was impossible to tell whose was whose from the outside – both had a scrawl that was almost illegible – but the words made that clear.

'_**Mum, Dad? I'm in Slytherin. That might surprise you – I don't know, you might have realised. It surprised me. But I don't think Slytherin is the evil House anymore. I've met some of the other people in Slytherin this year, and they all seem quite normal. Though, my standards are slightly skewed in that area. It's strange being apart from Lorcan, but I did expect that to happen. I think he's happy in Gryffindor. He's with Al, and with Scorpius Malfoy. Mum, you probably expected all of this. You always say there's more to situations that meet the eye, and Scorpius is nothing like what you say Draco Malfoy was. He seems happy. He reminds me of Albus quite a lot – I can't wait to see what happens when they visit each other's houses…..**_

'_**I don't know where this letter is going, or how long it'll take to get there. I know that I miss you all, Lysander especially. He's here too, of course. He's just in Slytherin, which is miles away. Scorpius and Albus are both in Gryffindor with me. They're alright. Well, you know that about Al already, we hang out lots. But Scorpius was a surprise. I thought he was going to be annoying at first, but he's actually really brave, and I think he and Al are going to be great friends. I don't think Alice Longbottom liked him that much. She couldn't get past his last name. Amelia Creevey, who asked us to call her Lia, seems sweet. She doesn't say things very often. She got Sorted into Hufflepuff, which suits her. And Rose was Sorted into Ravenclaw, which most of the family should have expected, if it hadn't been for Hermione, who was just as smart but ended up in Gryffindor. Rose always says that she isn't brave, but I think she is. It takes a lot of bravery to be clever. You have to put up with people staring at you because you're different. I know that, but I didn't expect to end up in Gryffindor. I thought probably Hufflepuff. It's hard to say what House you'd be in yourself though. It's hard to look at yourself like that. I think that takes bravery too. Or selfishness, or lying.'**_

Lia's missive was mainly directed at her parents, and, like Aisha, she had to include a separate note to her grandfather. She was sure on her House issues – her father had always respected Hufflepuffs more than most, and she gave a far more detailed account of their time on the boat than the others, telling her father exactly what all of the others had said. Lia, in later years, would be respected as someone with whom you could trust your secrets – but every girl needs an outlet, and for Lia it was her parents, who were quite interested in the gossip at Hogwarts – at least, if they weren't, they did a good job of faking it.

The responses came flooding back. Al, Rose and Scorpius all had their owls waiting for them at their second breakfast.

Ginny and Harry hadn't mentioned the whole Sorting idea much, only to reply to Al's opinion that it was a good idea. They congratulated him on being Sorted into Gryffindor. And on making friends with Scorpius.

They would never have expected that Draco and Astoria had sent an almost identical letter. Mostly written by Astoria – she liked to joke that she was the only one who wrote letters in the family because she was the only fully literate one, but with several lines inserted by his father. _**I'm proud of you……As long as you weren't hurt by anything on that island…..It seems too dangerous, but I suppose I'll have to get used to you being Gryffindor and throwing yourself headfirst into danger **_(that was Astoria)_**….I hope you and Albus carry on getting on well…..ignore any of the boys in your dorm who act like idiots…..work hard in your lessons, pay attention to all of your teachers! **_And a PS inserted at the end by Draco, probably without Astoria's knowledge – _**if your cousin gives you or your friends any trouble, just don't let the Professors catch you. **_

Of course, by the point that Scorpius got the letter, his cousin had already given he and his friends trouble. Not that his parents needed to know that!

Rose opened her response with some trepidation. She loved both of her parents so much. She knew she was one of the luckiest girls in the world in that respect. And now she was terrified of their reaction more than anything else. She needn't have worried. If it had been anyone else, Ron might have complained about the Sorting. But he loved his daughter too, and his only comment was to say _**I knew you were even smarter than your mother. Ravenclaw just couldn't bear to lose you. And this way you can prove your Quidditch skills by beating all of your cousins away from that goal!**_ Hermione had been equally proud, though there was a hint of warning. _**Have fun in Ravenclaw! There's apparently a superb environment in the Common Room when it comes to homework time, and I know you'll just thrive on the challenge. But don't lose all of your friends outside of Ravenclaw. It's good to mix the Houses a bit, and I know that Al would miss you. And if he agrees that Scorpius is alright to have as a friend, I'm sure you'll all get on fine. **_Scorpius was the only matter on which Ron had remained ominously silent.

Lorcan and Lysander received their reply on the next day. It wasn't a parrot anymore, but a giant flamingo-like thing. It contained the news that Luna and Rolf were back in South America, and a letter each for both of their sons.

Lysander's contained the reassurance he wanted, but hadn't dared ask for – both of his parents assured him that they were happy to see him in Slytherin, that they knew he would never be evil, and that they were sure he would one day be successful in whatever way he wanted, and Slytherin could only help him. Luna inserted the Luna-like comment that, although ambition could be a good thing, to beware of Nothlits, invisible moth-like creatures which clustered around the heads of those who were too obsessed with power, and which could only be eradicated by the presence of true friends.

Lorcan's was lighter in tone, full of all sorts of information about the animals they had seen so far in South America, and a note to him to remember that Thestrals only liked raw meat, so it was no good filching anything from dinner for them.

Lia's response was warm and kind. Her mother congratulated her on her attitude in the boat – her father included a few more facts that might help her understand her year-mates more. Being Hufflepuff didn't have to mean being naïve, after all.

Alice's reply was the last to arrive. She'd worried a little over this. Maybe Hannah wanted to talk to Neville first; maybe she just had her hands fuller than the other parents, with two more children still at home, and a pregnancy that was nearing the nine month mark. Then Neville had found her to reassure her - Hannah had been admitted to St. Mungo's, but the pregnancy was proceeding as planned. Her youngest sibling was expected to arrive in around a week's time.

_**Well, that new method of Sorting sounds…interesting. At least you got chance to bond with the other people on your boat. The young Malfoy being friendly surprises me, but if he's been Sorted into Gryffindor, and made friends with the Weasleys, I suppose you can probably trust that.**_

_**I'm glad that you're in a House with Rose, someone who you know. **_

She didn't say it, but Alice read 'since you're not in Gryffindor, where you father can look after you', and sighed at her mother's over-protectiveness. To Hannah, she would always be a little girl, despite being the oldest of three - soon to be four - and having helped take care of the others for years.

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**Thank you for reading!**

**Please review!**


	5. Come Fly With Me

**Thank you if you read/liked/Alerted/Favourited/reviewed last chapter! Especial thanks to my reviewers: mischief-maker123, silverbirch, Arlath's Daughter, Kitty Bridgeta, Doni, petros308, mystlyx and Likewow5556.**

**I hope you like this chapter! Read it and wish that you, too, could fly. Sigh. I know it's the thing I would want most from the whole of the Harry Potter world. What about you?**

**Characters: ****Rose Weasley - Ron and Hermione's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Alice Longbottom - Neville and Hannah's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Albus Severus Potter - Harry and Ginny's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Scorpius Malfoy - Draco and Astoria's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lorcan Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lysander Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Slytherin  
Lia Creevey - Dennis Creevey's daughter, Half-Blood, Sorted into Hufflepuff  
Aisha Siddiqui - Muggleborn, Sorted into Slytherin**

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**Chapter 4: Come Fly With Me**

**September 5th - Learning to Fly**

The sun was shining brightly and the Quidditch pitch was empty, with neither Quidditch try-outs nor Quidditch practices having begun yet.

The first week at Hogwarts was over. It had been fun. And many other things, including terrifying, fascinating and surreal. They were already getting an idea about which subjects were their favourites, which teachers were nicest and which ghosts to ignore when trying to get to lessons.

The Inter-House Common Room had proved to be a gift in this way – every other Common Room had an entrance into it, so it was easy to meet up with whoever your next lesson was with, and hope that they had a better idea of where it might be. This proved especially useful if you had a lesson with Alice, who already knew her way around the school blindfolded, or Albus, who didn't mind stopping another student in the corridor and asking them.

They already had work to do, as well. They'd been put into groups of four in Herbology, which had to include two from each House in the lesson, and been given a plant to look after. Lia had joined up with Aisha, and another pair of girls named Demelza Sloper and Lauren Holroyd. Lysander had joined a group with three other boys. Scorpius and Albus had paired up with two boys from Ravenclaw, whilst Rose and Alice joined Lorcan and the quiet Rebecca Anderton, since it was unfair to leave Lorcan in a group with three strangers.

They had also had their first flying lesson. Of the eight, three (Rose, Albus and Scorpius) were already practised fliers. Lorcan and Lysander had both tried flying on a broom – they had tried more things in their eleven years than most did in a lifetime – but only a few times. Alice had done so once, and sworn 'never again'. Lia and Aisha were complete beginners. Lia had lived in a densely populated and almost completely Muggle area – flying would have been extremely conspicuous over the land, and too dangerous for a child to attempt over the sea.

When they'd been told in their lessons to command the broom to come 'Up!", they'd had a range of success. Scorpius', Al's, Rose's and, surprisingly, Aisha's, had done so on the first try. Lysander and Alice had succeeded on their second attempt, Lia on her third, and it had taken many more attempts before Lorcan finally had his tone right and the broom flew into his hand.

The lesson had taken place without any incidents, but hadn't got them very far. They'd been too busy correcting grips and telling you how to sit on a broom for anyone to actually rise very far into the air.

Which was possibly why eight first-years, equipped with school brooms, and one fifth-year were now stepping onto the pitch. Dominique Weasley, Gryffindor prefect, was the fifth-year – Rose and Albus had convinced her to supervise them while they taught their friends to fly. She'd been reluctant, mainly because she was a Chaser for the Gryffindor team, and wary of helping 'the enemy'.

It was strange to the older students, how keenly the first-years had taken to Inter-House friendship. With the extreme pressure being exerted from their Professors, the second years and above hadn't done anything to prevent it happening, just watched in bewilderment. The Inter-House Common Room was generally only filled with first-years, although a few older students had used it to see family members. The influence of family members was another large part of why nobody had tried to force the first-years into separation. The Weasleys had a big enough effect in Gryffindor, and if Gryffindor relented then Slytherin would. Hufflepuff had always wanted peace, really. Ravenclaw could see no logic in bearing a grudge.

There was one member of Slytherin who had expressed any dissatisfaction. Patricia Nott, Scorpius' older cousin. She'd sought him out with two hulking boys by her side, sneering down at him. Of course, she'd told him off about dishonoring his family. She was probably referring to his usual seven companions - two of whom, Albus and Aisha, turned up a second later, just as the two boys by her side had began to advance menacingly. Fixing them both with a look like they'd come off the sole of her shoe, Nott had turned on her heel and walked away, reminding Scorpius as she went to 'remember what I said'.

Albus and Aisha had enough brains to work out what she'd been saying - well, Aisha had enough brains to work it out, and she told Albus - but Scorpius only laughed about it. He was too close to his friends now to worry about what they would think, and with his close family approving, he couldn't care less about what the Notts - his aunt Daphne, uncle Theodore, and of course Patricia thought.

Even out of all the first years, though, this group of eight was still unsual, however. None of the other Boat Groups, as they'd been dubbed, had stuck together so firmly. All eight of them going down to the pitch, when not all of them intended to fly, was strange when you thought about it. Didn't they have better places to spend their time than shivering on uncomfortable seats? But they wanted to spend time with their friends.

It was Alice, Lysander and Lorcan who had decided to sit it out. Lia and Aisha, however, had taken to flying like a duck to water, and were eager for more lessons.

They already had a good grasp of the basics, and soon six students rose into the air. Dominique stayed at the edge, watching to make sure none of them came to any harm, whilst Rose and Scorpius flew alongside Lia to help her with simple directions. Albus did the same for Aisha.

"Tilt your broom up to go up," he began, and then hastily added, "but not too much!" He blinked in surprise. Aisha hadn't acted on his instruction before he'd finished speaking. When he'd been taught how to fly, he'd been so eager that he'd jerked his broom vertical and had gone shooting off into the sky. Thankfully, his broom had been speed-limited, and Harry had easily been able to catch him up.

Aisha grinned as he explained his shocked look. "Maybe I'm just not impetuous like all you Gryffindors," she told him. Despite being friends, the first-years had already caught onto the general insults and sterotypes that different Houses threw at each other and adopted them as their own way of showing affection.

Al frowned. "We're not all hot-headed," he said defensively.

"I'm joking," Aisha reassured him. "Besides, I do keep doing that – making movements that are too big. But flying isn't all that strange, really. It's like swimming, but you have to be a lot more delicate about it. Air's not as resistant as water."

"I never thought of it like that," Al replied, surprised. "I guess it is like swimming. You have to think in three dimensions."

Meanwhile, teaching Lia was going equally well, since she proved herself a quick learner, although not quite as confident in the air as Aisha – yet. "I can't help but feel that a big gust of wind is going to come along and knock me off," she told the other two apologetically.

"It probably could, with you," Scorpius joked. "You're tiny!"

"It won't though," Rose reassured her.

Alice watched the five of them with a smile on her face. She turned to Lysander. "Why don't you like flying?" she asked.

He shrugged. "It just doesn't interest me that much. When there's so much more interesting stuff you can be doing on the ground. Plus I could never play Quidditch – I'm not a good team-worker."

"Oh, me neither," Alice laughed.

"What about you?" Lorcan asked.

Alice shrugged casually. "I don't like heights, really." She smiled deliberately. "Really, you'd think that a Ravenclaw, rational as we're supposed to be, would have fears which are less irrational."

"Less irrational? What's irrational about being afraid of being hundreds of metres up, with a painful end if you fall?" Lysander pointed out. "Sounds pretty rational to me."

"I guess it is," Alice remarked, surprised. She looked wistfully at the figures. They had picked up speed now. "Still, it looks like fun."

Aisha would have agreed with her. It was the strangest, most exhilarating feeling in the world. She'd experienced a slight feeling of horror as the ground had slowly dropped away from her, and her knuckles were going white with clutching so tightly onto the broom. But as Rose flew past her, hair streaming in the wind, she had to give chase.

Pulling out of a sharp dive, she felt herself leave her stomach behind, and laughed aloud at the feeling.

"It's even better than a rollercoaster!" she shouted across to Lia. The other girl beamed back at her, but her response was lost to the wind.

Lia tried again. "And you can't do this on a rollercoaster," she added, pulling her broom up so sharply that she did a loop.

Aisha laughed to see it, because it did look odd. "I wonder if I can fly upside down," she mused aloud, and twisted her broom to see. She discovered that she could – and then she discovered that steering was very difficult. And the hoops were suddenly very close.

Rose quickly flew over to her and righted her, having tried the same experiment in the past and knowing the problems that went with it.

Unfortunately, Dominique had lost her nerve with that near collision, and called an end to the impromptu practice.

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**Please review!**

**I hope you liked it, and it's now time to say goodbye to September! Our next snapshot is skipping a couple of months.**


	6. Far Too Long Since You Went Away

**Hello again!**

**I know it's a little bit past Christmas, but ah well. Next chapter's going to skip even more than the three months that this did. **

**Thank you for reviewing: mischief-maker123, silverbirth, Arlath's Daughter, susiipie, Doni, Kitty Bridgeta, Someone aka Me and Likewow5556**

**I hope you're all well and happy**

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**Chapter 6: It's Been Far Too Long Since You Went Away**

**December 20th - Going Home For Christmas**

It was hard to believe, for both parents and children, that the first term at Hogwarts was over already. As the Hogwarts Express pulled into Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, many waited eagerly to be reunited.

Of course, not all of them were going home. Alice was staying – she saw her father every day, after all, and the Christmas season wasn't a holiday for those in the pub trade, what with New Year following straight after. The twins were staying too, since Luna and Rolf had taken their first childless opportunity for eleven years to visit one of the more dangerous regions of the world and wouldn't be home for Christmas. Aisha made up the last of the four who would still be there. Her family couldn't really afford the train travel for someone to pick her up and then for the both of them to come home, plus Christmas wasn't exactly a big deal for her family. She wished that she'd be able to see them at Eid, but knew it would be unlikely.

For Scorpius, Rose, Lia and Albus though, it was time to come home. Albus and Rose would both be having Christmas at Molly's this year – Rose's family alternated every year, spending one with her mother's family and one with her father's. Somehow they all managed to fit in the Burrow, though it was becoming a little tight to find enough tables for them all to sit down at.

They travelled to Hogsmeade station in carriages. As far as Lia and Scorpius knew, these were horseless. Rose and Albus could see different, but had heard enough of their parent's stories to know what the creatures pulling the carriages were, and chose not to mention them.

The four of them shared a train compartment, the journey evoking memories of the last time they had travelled on it, and the adventure that had followed.

"And that rundown of our family history that we gave you and Aisha," Albus remembered, grinning.

"Not to mention the time when you were basically pregnant and Scorpius saved your life," Rose reminded him.

"Seriously, though," Scorpius began, then grinned. "Who am I kidding? Us, being serious?"

They laughed again. Finally he managed to say to Rose, "You play chess?"

At her enthusiastic reply, the two of them soon settled down to a game. Frowns creased their foreheads as they tried desperately to beat each other.

"Well, that's them gone for the entire journey," Albus sighed to Lia.

"Do you think they'd notice if we left?"

"Only if we took the Pumpkin Pasties with us." Albus grinned.

"Oh, but I can't leave those behind."

Albus sighed theatrically. "We'll have to stay then," he pointed out.

It didn't seem long before the Hogwarts Express arrived into London. Albus and Lia left first, pulling trunks down from the racks overhead. Rose and Scorpius were still in the middle of their third game, both having one win apiece.

Assuring the other two that they'd be right behind them, Rose and Scorpius waved the other two on.

The Platform was slightly less crowded than it had been last time, although the lack of steam meant that you could see everyone, and thus it felt even more so.

"Where's your family then?" Albus asked Lia, who pointed to a blonde man of medium height, with a strong build and a growing bald spot. He was entirely non-descript but, when he noticed Lia's pointing finger, he met their eyes with a loving smile of his own. Lia ran towards him and he swept her up in his arms easily.

Letting her down, he took her hand in one of his and her trunk in the other. She waved goodbye to Albus and followed her father, the two of them already engrossed in some sort of conversation.

Albus approached his own parents who, as always, were the loudest group there. They waited with Ron, Hermione, Hugo, Lily and James, who must have been faster off the train than him.

"So that was Dennis Creevey?" Ginny asked, interested. "His daughter doesn't look much like him. Does she act like it?"

"No, she's the quietest thing. Really kind though," Rose replied, having arrived without their notice. "Honestly, too busy being nosy to greet your only daughter," she teased, happily allowing herself to be folded into her parents' embraces. She even hugged Hugo, who tried not to look pleased.

"I noticed you," Lily protested.

"And thanks for taking my 'shush' on board," Rose agreed, having gestured to the younger girl to keep quiet just so that she could surprise her family.

Albus searched to see where Scorpius had gone, and noticed him, leaving with his mother. His best friend must have felt his gaze, because he glanced over his shoulder and gave him a quick wave, which Albus returned with a grin and a scribble in the air.

Scorpius nodded, tilting his head slightly towards the cage in his left hand, which contained his owl.

The movement caught his mother's eye, and she glanced around to see what her son was looking at. Meeting her gaze, Albus smiled politely, uncertain what to expect. She smiled too, before saying something quietly to Scorpius, leaning slightly. Whatever she said, it must have been a joke, because Albus recognised the shaking of Scorpius' shoulders as muffled laughter.

"Who are you waving at?" Hugo asked. He'd learned the tactic of asking questions from his sister, but only used it when he wanted attention, as he didn't have her curiosity.

"My friend," Albus replied absently.

"Scorpius Malfoy," James added.

The adults all turned to look, and Rose's cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Mum, Dad." she hissed, tugging on their arms. "Don't stare, he's not an exhibit in a zoo."

The words, so reminiscent of what Molly had said in this very station, twenty-odd years ago, brought a grin to the faces of Ginny and Harry as they looked at each other. And kissed.

James and Albus both made a gagging sound. Lily rolled her eyes, not as disgusted as her brothers but equally embarrassed. "We're in public," she complained.

"Really? I hadn't noticed," Ginny said easily, smiling into her husband's eyes.

Rose met Al's eyes. Her parents had decided to do the same, snog in the middle of a busy train platform. Without a word, James grabbed his trunk and began hauling it away. Deciding this was a good plan, the others followed suit, knowing from long experience that their parents would come back to earth at some point and be fully able to work out where they had gone.

"So, has it been lonely without either of your brothers?" Rose asked Lily.

"Lonely? It's been quiet. Brilliantly so. Nobody to annoy me, _steal my stuff,_" she shot a pointed glare at James, who affected an innocent look, "or to try drag me away from reading or playing."

"Playing made-up games?" James asked, with all the superiority of his twelve years.

"At least I have the imagination to be able to make games up," Lily retorted.

"What was it last time I caught you? Designing a treehouse that all of your six little make-believe people could live in?"

"You stole that! I knew it was you!"

"Besides, James, isn't it just as sad to pretend that you're flying after a dangerous criminal when you go out on your broom," Rose put in.

James' cheeks turned slightly red, and he ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah, well…."

Lily laughed, and exchanged a high-five with her cousin. She was already looking forward to Christmas.

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**Thank you for reading!**

**You know what you should**** do...that button, it wants you to click it and write some words of reviewing magic. **

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	7. Talk Until The Sun's First Light

**Thanks for reviewing: Kitty Bridgeta, Arlath's Daughter, silverbirch, Likewow5556, susiipie and Someone aka Me. **

**Good luck in all and any exams you take, now and in the future!**

**Ugh. Exams. Even writing this chapter made me shudder, despite these not being important exams - like the type I've got at the moment! Let's have a cheer for not-important exams.**

**Characters: ****Rose Weasley - Ron and Hermione's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Alice Longbottom - Neville and Hannah's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Albus Severus Potter - Harry and Ginny's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Scorpius Malfoy - Draco and Astoria's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lorcan Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lysander Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Slytherin  
Lia Creevey - Dennis Creevey's daughter, Half-Blood, Sorted into Hufflepuff  
Aisha Siddiqui - Muggleborn, Sorted into Slytherin**

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**Chapter 6: Talk Until The Sun's First Light**

**May 2018 - First-Year Exams**

In later years, they would look back and laugh at how seriously they had taken them. In the end, you couldn't compare first-year exams to OWLs or NEWTs. You couldn't even compare them to those at the end of your third year, which determined which subjects you would be allowed to take for OWL. Although the Professors told them that they wouldn't be allowed to go through to their second year if they didn't pass, they would later discover that no student in Hogwarts history had been prevented from moving into the second year.

For the moment, however, they were very important. At least they were to Rose, who by Easter had already drawn up a revision timetable, and to Aisha, who had taken her Professors' threat seriously. They were usually joined by Lia in their revision sessions. Rose even managed to drag Scorpius and Albus to the library to revise, possibly the first time that they had been there all year.

Lorcan turned up occasionally – none of them knew where he was when he wasn't revising, although Hagrid's hut was one of the places he definitely visited often, as was the Forest. He sometimes brought Alice with him to these revision sessions, usually when he'd been to Hagrid's and run into her there. She still kept up her old friendship with the half-giant, despite not having to escape helping her father or being left at home.

At other times, like Lysander, Alice would shrug off the exams. She must have been putting some work in, however, because if she did show up then she often already knew the answers to questions which they were practicing.

These would be the last exams until their fifth year that any of them revised for this hard. As other commitments such as Quidditch started to take up their time, they would decide that these exams, which nobody found out about but their parents, weren't worth quite this much effort, especially to Aisha, whose parents wouldn't know if she'd done well or not, and to Lia, whose parents wouldn't mind.

Scorpius and Albus knew that their parents would mind – a lot – if they didn't do well, however, and it was this even more than Rose's nagging that drove them to their books and to their revision.

It was difficult, especially with the beautiful sun beaming down outside. It was warm – it seemed like, despite being far up North, Hogwarts defied all logic of weather and was as sunny in the summer as you'd expect the south coast to be, but still saw thick snow in winter like the most northern counties.

All anyone wanted to do was be out there, flying or relaxing on the grass. Even Rose relented on the studying a few times, and joined Scorpius, Albus, Lia and Aisha for an impromptu day of races and catch on their broomsticks. Aisha, to everyone's horror, tried to swim in the lake, but had to concede that it was, as they'd predicted, far too cold. And the Giant Squid was far too Giant.

Far too soon, of course, the exams were upon them. Trapped in a large and sweltering classroom, they scrawled down answers that they suddenly couldn't remember whether they were right or wrong – and part of them couldn't care, all the time gazing wistfully out of the window.

The practical exams were slightly more interesting, although also far more terrifying. One by one, they had to Transfigure a fish into a fan, and charm a pineapple to tap dance across a desk.

Potions was expected to be nearly unbearable. Although the warmth of the classroom had been bliss in the chilly winter months, the heat of their cauldron fires was torture now, and it was with sweat dripping from their foreheads that they approached the classroom, only to discover that they needed to attempt to brew Pompel Frigo.

Professor Corner, either out of sympathy or selfishness (he had to sit in the room too, after all), had assigned this potion due to its requirement of being stirred over an ice-cold flame.

History of Magic, as always, was the last exam. It was annoying, but it was tradition.

"I can't wait until third-year," Alice said sadly, as they left the room. "We get to learn about recent history, like the Wizarding Wars."

"It's got to be easier to learn for a test," Lysander agreed. "After all, we know all the names."

"And they're all different. No Urick the Oddball and Uric the Oddbell." Albus added.

"It's Urick the Oddbell and Uric the Oddball, I think," Rose corrected. Albus groaned.

"Well, I got that wrong then."

Scorpius didn't quite agree – it would be easier to learn, the facts about the Wizarding Wars, but it would also be more awkward. Rose and Albus felt the same, in fact. It had only been a year, but they were all thoroughly sick of the looks and the whisperings that occasionally followed them, although at least they had died down in intensity after the first week.

It was worst for Scorpius. He was the first Malfoy to come to the school since his father, whilst the seemingly hundreds of Weasleys that had come before Rose allowed her to blend slightly into the pack, despite being a Ravenclaw. Albus, although he looked more like Harry than James did, still benefited from the same effect. Even if it was annoying to be called James every now and again by forgetful Professors.

Plus Scorpius endured it from his own family. Only a day into arriving at Hogwarts and being Sorted, he'd been pounced on by his cousin on his mother's side, Patricia Nott. She, like her older brother, had been Sorted into Slytherin, and was deeply unimpressed by his defection.

Thankfully, Scorpius had been able to ignore her, having had plenty of practice at the few family events that his parents attended and Albus, who had turned up a moment later, had dragged him away.

"A week until results," Lia said, providing Scorpius with the perfect way to drag himself out of his thoughts.

"Yay," muttered Albus sarcastically.

"Oh dear," Lysander commented. "Al's being sarcastic, it's a bad sign."

The others snorted. "You've rubbed off on me," Albus shrugged.

"Of course, blame it on the Slytherin," Lysander sighed, in an exaggerated way.

"Speaking of Slytherin," Aisha said, "how do you three feel about sleeping over on Saturday?"

"Definitely!" Albus cried.

Aisha shot him a look. "Not you," she said severely. "I meant the three girls, idiot."

Albus pretended to be wounded.

"Sounds great," Lia said, smiling.

"Amazing," Alice agreed.

"The perfect end to a horrible week," Rose agreed, then frowned. "Sorry, that came out wrong."

"I know what you mean," Aisha assured her. "I'll have to ask Professor Pucey, and my dorm-mates of course, but they've never minded before."

As long as it was a weekend, the Professors were extremely accommodating about letting students sleep over in other House dorms. Indeed, it happened so often that it occasionally seemed like some students had swapped Houses, with a Slytherin student staying in a Hufflepuff bed whilst that Hufflepuff went to stay with a Slytherin.

They didn't need to do that. The sleeping bags and mattresses that magically appeared on the floor (presumably the work of House-Elves) were blissfully comfortable, just as much as the actual beds.

"I can't believe you haven't invited us," Albus sighed. "I feel so neglected."

"Unwanted," Scorpius agreed.

"Unloved." Albus added.

"Unwelcome."

"Mistreated."

"Ignored."

"Abandoned."

"Erm…" Scorpius frowned. "I can't think of another word."

Not that it mattered. The four girls had already walked off, and were halfway along the corridor.

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**Please review, else I will be the one feeling:**

**neglected, ****unwanted, unloved, unwelcome, mistreated, ignored and abandoned etcetera etcetera!**

**x**


	8. Got My Bags Packed And I'm Ready To Go

**Thank you to Someone aka Me, Kitty Bridgeta, Doni, Arlath's Daughter, silverbirch and Likewow556 for reviewing!**

******Characters:  
************Rose Weasley - Ron and Hermione's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Alice Longbottom - Neville and Hannah's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Albus Severus Potter - Harry and Ginny's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Scorpius Malfoy - Draco and Astoria's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lorcan Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lysander Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Slytherin  
Lia Creevey - Dennis Creevey's daughter, Half-Blood, Sorted into Hufflepuff  
Aisha Siddiqui - Muggleborn, Sorted into Slytherin**

**And we have finished the first year at Hogwarts of our eight students! If only real school went as quickly......**

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**Chapter 7: I've Got My Bags Packed Baby and I'm Ready To Go**

**June 2018 - The End of The First Year**

For some, it had seemed like forever. For others, it had only flown by. For most, it was an odd mixture of the two. A lifetime since they had not known each other, had not had such friends; a moment since they'd been arguing on a beach in an imaginary world.

They'd changed, a little. Robes were tighter, a few inches higher off the ground. Hair was longer, hands were more ink-stained, minds were expanded.

Lorcan and Rose had it in common that they looked forward to this holiday, and couldn't wait to see their parents. Lysander and Scorpius had it in common that they would not be able to wait until the summer was over, and they could see their friends again. Albus and Lia were divided between missing their friends, and seeing their parents. Aisha and Alice would miss the sensation of finally belonging that they had found.

It was far too complicated for any eleven year old to articulate such feelings, however. The closest anyone came was Alice, collapsing into the train carriage of the Hogwarts Express and summarising it with. "Seriously. What a year."

They'd had their exam results, a mixture of stupendously good (Rose), surprisingly good (Lia) and unfairly good (Lysander, given the amount of work he'd done). Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup, as they had for the past five years.

It had very nearly been a tie for the House Cup, between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. A last minute good deed by a Hufflepuff had just elevated them, however, and the decorations had been yellow and black for their final breakfast.

"I can't believe we got homework," Albus complained. Scorpius nodded in agreement.

Rose shrugged. "It's not that much," she reminded them. "I've already done the Transfiguration questions."

"Can I send letters to any of you if I need any reference books?" Aisha asked. "I don't think they'll have them in our local library." She didn't mention how difficult it would be to do the work without two of her siblings finding out, the two who had thought her at an ordinary boarding school for these past nine months.

All of them nodded, other than the twins. "I don't know where we'll be," Lysander said irritably. "Your owl might take a while to arrive."

"Trekking through the jungles of Borneo," Lorcan reflected. "Boating on the Amazon River."

"Jungles and boats?" Alice smiled. "Now that brings back memories."

"Doesn't it just?" Lysander nodded.

"Remember the cave?" Rose asked.

"Remember how Lia shocked you with being able to row," Lysander told Scorpius.

"And how confused I was," Aisha said reflectively.

"You must have been," Lia sympathised. "You know, we actually gave you the entire history of the Wizarding World in about an hour."

"Remember when you gave birth?" Scorpius asked Albus, who gave him a dirty look.

"Why _did _that happen?" Lysander asked.

"I drank the water that was dripping off the algae," Albus admitted. Rose hit him.

"You idiot! How can you not see that that's an obviously stupid thing to do?"

"Branwen Kendrick did the same thing," he defended himself.

"Yes, and she ended up in Gryffindor too. Wonder what _that _says," Lysander remarked.

"Don't you think it's good," Rose said pensively. "that it worked. At least, it seems to have."

Aisha nodded, understanding what the redhead meant. "I don't know exactly what it was like before," she agreed. "But I don't see there being any real argument between the Houses now. I mean, we still insult each other.

"How can we help it?" Rose said sweetly. "Gryffindors are so idiotic, they set themselves up for it."

"Because Ravenclaws never do. Rose, you were just _happy _about having _homework,_" Albus pointed out.

"And really, Slytherins can be a bit under-handed." Alice added.

"We prefer to call it being 'subtle," Lysander said, smirking.

"And none of you can find a bad word to say about Hufflepuff, so you just forget it," Lia inserted, all of them blushing or smiling at her comment.

"But it did work." Rose persisted. "Okay, we still have rivalry, but it's like supporting different Quidditch teams. We're still friends, despite all of that."

"I'm just amazed we got any sleep," Aisha said. "I can barely remember a week where there wasn't somebody sleeping over in my dorm."

The others nodded in agreement.

"The other groups were all quite well mixed," Aisha added. "And their friendships haven't been too broken up."

Alice nodded. "Daisy and Natasha, who are Gryffindor and Slytherin, or Wayne and Gabriel, who were in a group together to begin with. Not that their group got very far."

Albus, who had frowned at the mention of Wayne Macmillan, with whom he shared a dorm and didn't get on with, grinned. "Eaten by the Chimaera, right at the beginning."

"A fate we escaped thanks to Alice's excellent observational skills, Lysander's planning ability, Lorcan's heroic stupidity and Lia's refusal to leave him," Aisha reminded him. "All four House traits, working together."

"Are you saying Scorpius and I didn't do anything?" Albus asked, pretending to be offended.

"Oh, you did lots. Like trying to stop me from getting anywhere near it, and over-reacting," she replied dryly.

With arguments and conversations that lasted the rest of the journey, they seemed to reach London in no time at all. With only fifteen minutes to go, Aisha jumped up in surprise.

"Oh, I've got to go change," she remarked, hurrying off. She was followed by Lia and Rose.

"Don't you need to.." Albus began to ask Alice, but she shook her head.

"My Dad's taking me straight to the pub through the Floo. I can be in robes the whole way. Didn't you notice that I left my trunk at Hogwarts? He's going to bring it home later."

Scorpius nodded. "We're doing the same, although we're just going to have to manage the Floo with a trunk. I sent my owl ahead though. She doesn't like the Floo."

"Who would," Alice muttered, who held a deep hatred of the Floo. Not only did she not understand how it worked, but she always seemed to lose her balance, falling out the other end rather than gracefully landing, horribly soot-streaked and sweaty from the heat.

Lysander did drag Lorcan out of the room, however, as they had no idea what would be happening when they reached Kings' Cross, and thought it best to prepare for any eventuality, including being whisked to Heathrow to catch a flight to somewhere (or anywhere). Sometimes wizard travel wasn't feasible, if they had lots of equipment or Muggle companions. Albus followed them, the door opening just as he left for the other girls to return.

Looking at each other, they looked undefinably different. They'd all seen each other in Muggle clothes before, of course. Students tended to wear them at weekends and after lessons, since they were a lot less cumbersome than flapping robes, which were often over-sized due to being hand-me-downs or just clothes bought in anticipation of a child's ridiculously fast growth.

But these clothes seemed to be serving as a herald to remind them all what they were returning to. These children wouldn't have looked out of place on any Muggle street, and for Aisha especially, it was unnerving. All of the extraordinary experiences of the previous year, and it could go, just like that?

Then Lorcan returned, and she came to her senses. His Muggle clothes never appeared quite that normal. Or maybe it was the look in his eyes. Or possibly the wand that she noticed, tucked behind his ear.

The train juddered to a halt, and the six of them who were standing staggered.

"This is it," said Lorcan, his voice sounding unusually doom-filled.

Scorpius laughed, although it sounded strained. "Only for two months. I'll see you all in September, right?"

Aisha nodded, a fake smile pasted on her face. "September," she agreed.

"And don't forget to write," Alice pressed them. "Any of you! All of you, please. I'll need the mature conversation, trapped with my siblings. We get Muggle post too," she reminded Aisha.

Albus and Lorcan, as the tallest, had been lifting trunks from the racks above their heads.

"And if Rose feels like being really nice, she might let me look at her homework," he added in a fake whisper. "So if anyone has any problems, ask me."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Or just ask her directly," she pointed out. She didn't volunteer her own work – copying when you didn't understand something, she felt, was an incredibly stupid thing to let others do. It really didn't help them unless you were there with them, helping them through the answers. But Rose and Aisha were both alright with it, so the others were never short of work to borrow.

"I suppose I should go," Aisha suddenly realised. "My parents won't even know that our train has arrived, and we'll have another train to catch." Her parents would have to be waiting outside of Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, given that Muggles couldn't get through the wall.

With a quick farewell, she lifted her trunk and was gone. Lia was the next to go, giving them all a hug. Heading to the door, the twins saw that only their father was there, checking his watch. Realising that they must have another mode of transport to arrive in time for, they quickly dashed away.

Rose, Alice, Albus and Scorpius eyed each other. "Have a good summer," Alice said sincerely.

"You too," Rose reminded her. "And you can come visit me any time."

Alice smiled. "My place is better – we've got a whole pub full of food."

She sighed. "I guess I should go. Dad'll be wanting to get home to see Sarah." Only nine months old, Sarah had never even seen her older sister.

"Dad!" Rose suddenly cried, bursting out of the door and towards her father, who caught her up in his arms. No matter how big she grew, he would always be strong enough to hug her so tightly that he crushed her. It was a family thing.

"I guess your family is here now," Scorpius said awkwardly.

Albus nodded. "You want to meet them?"

His friend smiled wryly. "I think we can wait for that fun moment," he said. "See you in September."

The two nodded and, after a moment's hesitation, hugged. "Have a great summer," Scorpius told Albus.

"You too!" Albus agreed.

"I think I will," Scorpius admitted. "Flying. How long has it been since we could go flying?"

Albus sighed in nostalgia. "Too long. And there's a Puddlemere-Harpies game on in a fortnight. I suppose that loss might put a downturn on your summer."

"You mean, your summer." Scorpius informed him.

"No way! The Harpies will win, hands-down."

"Hands-down? That's not the way to win Quidditch."

Albus punched his best friend on the shoulder. "See you," he called, as the two split of in search of their respective families, who seemed to have chosen spots out of each other's sightline this year.

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**I hope you review, and that you have liked this first year. Join me soon for the beginning of the second one!**


	9. It's Been So Long Since We Met

**Beginning of Year Number Two!**

**Thank you for reviewing: Doni, Arlath's Daughter, Likewow5556, Kitty Bridgeta, silverbirch, Someone aka Me and mystlyx!**

**I would give you cookies in thanks, but they don't fit into my CD drive or my USB port :(**

**EDIT: Thanks to Kitty Bridgeta for noticing that Lily Evans had her parents on the Platform in Deathly Hallows! **

* * *

**Returning to Hogwarts - September 2018**

**Chapter 9: It's Been So Long Since We Met**

Aisha hurried through Kings' Cross station, dragging a suitcase and a mother behind her. Not for the first time that holiday, the horrible thought flashed into her mind – what if she'd imagined it all, what if she was about to wake up. But the very obvious presence of the heavy school books in her suitcase reassured her.

They reached the wall separating Platform Nine from Platform Ten. She sighed slightly, remembering last year - of course she'd been told just to walk through the barrier, but saying that was one thing and doing it was entirely another, for both her and her parents.

In the end they'd surreptitiously followed a group of older girls, who were carrying owls and trunks and were quite clearly magical.

Now she hugged her mother goodbye – although the parents of Muggleborn students could get through the barrier, her parents had been deeply uncomfortable going through the wall last year and standing on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, so would not go through again – and turned to face the wall. Refusing to run, she strolled slowly towards it, not closing her eyes until the last minute.

Opening them on the other side, she experienced the same moment of disorientation that she had last year, although at least it wasn't accompanied this time by the feeling of exclusion when she saw all the other children with their parents able to wave the train off.

"Hi, Aisha," called a voice. She looked over and waved, relieved. It was a girl in her year, a Gryffindor. They weren't close enough to have kept in touch over the holidays, but they knew each other all the same.

"How are you?" she asked.

The Gryffindor, Daisy, shrugged. "Alright. A bit sad to be going back to school. I've missed my friends, but not all the Transfiguration homework." She pulled a face.

Aisha laughed. "I know what you mean."

This was an outright lie. She'd missed Hogwarts like nothing else. Yes, the work was hard, but it was so much more interesting than it would be back home! She'd caught up with her friends over the holidays, and she knew that she'd prefer Flying to PE, Potions to Science and Charms to French any day. One thing had disturbed her - how much the Muggle world would move on without you. Her friends were too busy asking why she didn't have an e-mail address at her school, or a mobile phone, or a Facebook account, to notice how little attention Aisha paid to their conversations.

Not too far away, Albus and Rose were once more saying goodbye to their parents. Everyone was in a considerably better mood this year. Nobody was worried about their Sorting, and even James was far more interested in looking for his friends than annoying his siblings.

"Have a good year," Ginny said, reaching towards Albus for a hug. He squirmed away.

"Mum!" he complained. "Get off!"

The adults laughed. Rose ignored him. "Bye Dad," she muttered, hugging her Dad tightly. "Bye Mum."

"Love you," Hermione said, "and write to us soon. Don't neglect your schoolwork though."

"Or your Quidditch," Ron added. "As soon as there's a vacancy for the Keeper on the Ravenclaw team, you'll be in that spot and giving your cousins a run for their Cup."

"Hey!" James protested, but Rose wasn't listening.

"Albus," she gasped. "You can try out this year. Victoire was the Seeker, and she's gone!"

Al's mouth fell open. He hadn't even considered this. He looked suddenly nervous, then his eyes lit up.

"Scorpius!" he yelled.

A few metres to their left, Scorpius was indeed stood, also saying his goodbyes. Only his mother was there this year. With neither having particularly predictible jobs (she was an Obliviator and he worked in the Emergency Accounting section of Gringotts, which was a lot more dramatic than it sounded) Draco and Astoria both struggled with being allowed the time off work to say farewell to their son, and Draco had had to settle for saying goodbye at breakfast that morning.

The blonde boy looked up.

"Still think that Puddlemere are better than the Harpies?" Albus asked.

"That was luck!" Scorpius scoffed. Waving at his mother, he hurried over to Albus. The two of them began walking away. "Our Seeker nearly caught the Snitch. It's not his fault that he slipped forward on his broom!"

Rose, giving her mother a last kiss, followed them. Their parents seemed stuck between amused smiles, fond looks and surprised blinks.

Astoria, passing by the Potters, opted for the first and a graceful nod of her head.

They obviously weren't the only ones who'd been hearing a lot about their son's new best friend. They tried not to have a problem with it, although it was made more disconcerting by just how much Scorpius looked like his father at that age. Scorpius and Albus could have been Draco and Harry twenty years ago, minus a scar and the fact that they were chatting amiably.

Rose caught up with the boys. "You're both forgetting that neither Puddlemere nor the Harpies won the Championship," she gleefully reminded them . "Chudley Cannons did."

"You only support them because your Dad does," Albus argued.

"And you only support Holyhead Harpies because your Mum played for them." she shot back.

"So I beat you both, because I have a good reason for supporting my team." Scorpius put in.

"What?" they both asked simultaneously. He paused, clearly thinking.

"Lorcan, Lysander!" he said suddenly, as the twins came up behind Albus and Rose and saved him from replying. "Good summer?"

"It was okay," Lysander shrugged. "Glad to be back?"

The grin on Scorpius' face said everything.

"Your sister looks happier about you leaving this year," Lysander commented to Albus, who nodded.

"She is. She realised last year that she liked being an only child and having the house to herself a lot of the time. Plus she's only got one year left, and she's starting to get scared of going to Hogwarts."

"I feel sorry for her, not knowing about the new Sorting," a voice said.

Albus jumped. "Lia!" he gasped. "Don't be so quiet, you nearly gave me a heart attack. When did you get here?"

"A few minutes after we did," Lorcan told him.

"Nobody told her though, did you? Your sister, about the Sorting." Scorpius asked.

Albus and Rose both shook their heads. "We're not allowed," Rose reminded him.

"And that would stop you?" Lysander asked disbelievingly. "Well, not Albus anyway."

Al grinned. In only a year, he and Scorpius had managed to get a reputation as troublemakers. His parents hadn't been impressed by the number of detentions he'd managed to end up with, but had forgiven him since it had been less than James had got.

"Mum and Dad wouldn't have wanted us to though," Albus sighed. "We talked about it a bit, while she was out of the house. Bill and Fleur are doing the same thing to Louis, who's starting this year."

"Not to mention, you can't tell anyone."

Albus yelped, and jumped again. "Alice!" He cried, spinning around to face her. "Why does everyone think they should creep up on me today?"

Rose laughed. "Because it's funny?" she suggested. "And what did you mean, you can't tell anyone?"

"The parchment that we signed had a spell on it," Alice explained. "You literally can't tell anyone."

"Like an Unbreakable Vow?" Albus asked.

"That's a bit over-dramatic," Rose frowned.

"I suppose killing off students who tell their siblings is a little bit unfair." Lorcan mused.

"A _little_ bit?" Scorpius wondered.

"The words just won't come out of your mouth," Alice corrected. "Like a Silencing Charm."

"And they didn't tell us at all? Is that fair?" Lia asked.

"Is that legal?" Lysander added.

"Did they tell our parents?" Rose wondered.

Alice shrugged, although it was a mystery which question she was answering. "How did they actually tell your parents?" she asked. "Mine already knew."

"Mine just got a letter," Lia replied. Choruses of agreement followed.

"It kept mentioning how we weren't at any risk of harm," Scorpius commented.

"Probably to avoid floods of owls from parents complaining that something had happened to darling Scorpy," Albus joked.

Scorpius punched him lightly.

"You punch like a girl," Lysander told him.

"No, he doesn't." Albus disagreed. "Have you ever been punched by Rose or Aisha? Or Lily? It's bloody painful."

"Albus! Don't swear," Rose reprimanded him. He rolled his eyes. She punched him.

"See," he gasped, holding his arm. "Merlin, Rose, I think you've given me a dead arm."

"Good."

"Aisha!" Albus suddenly cried, spotting the girl walking towards them and delighted that someone hadn't managed to sneak up on him.

"Hi," she said brightly, smiling at them all. They all looked a little different to how they had two months ago.

She'd forgotten almost nothing – she'd been exchanging letters or e-mails with all of them but the twins (who had been out of contact to everyone). But Rose seemed a little taller (and even more freckly), Lia's hair had grown longer, Alice's frizz had started to turn to curls, Scorpius was so tanned that he no longer looked like a smaller version of his father - now he looked as though someone had painted a miniature Draco with brown paint - Albus was wearing new glasses, Lorcan had developed more muscle and Lysander had mastered the art of smirking.

But all of this paled next to the joy she felt at seeing them all in the flesh again. For that, they might as well have been surrounded by a golden glow.

Not that she said any of this.

"Are you going to stand outside the train for the rest of our lives?" she asked. "You know you've been blocking this door for the last ten minutes."

Indeed, they had been stood in front of one of the train doors since the twins' arrival. They climbed the few steps onto the train, Lorcan helping Lia with her suitcase, which was only bigger than her because she was so tiny, and Rose helping Alice with her trunk, which was just massive relative to anyone, even the lanky Rose.

Once aboard the train, they found an empty compartment and realised it was just in time, as steam began to blow past the windows and the sound of the train picked up.

They were on their way to Hogwarts once more.

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**Did you like it?**

**Let me know!**

**I'm excited to start writing Year 2 :)**


	10. Your Time Is Coming, Don't Be Late

**Thank you for reviewing: mystlyx, silverbirch, Arlath's Daughter, Likewow5556, Doni, Kitty Bridgeta and Someone aka Me. **

**By the way, is it strange that the fact that last chapter was exactly 2010 words is exciting to me? **

**But it's not any more - thank you Kitty Bridgeta for remembering**

**I hope you like this chapter! The first of my attempt to write Quidditch tryouts.....**

**

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**Chapter Ten: Your Time Is Coming, Don't Be Late**

**Albus tries out for the Quidditch team - 7th September 2018**

Albus tried to swallow down the nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. He would have preferred it if nobody knew he was going to try out – but that was pointless. After all, with practically his entire family on the team, they would all know anyway, so his friends might as well know.

They'd been back at Hogwarts almost a month, and second year still seemed a lot like their first. True, they were no longer the youngest students in the school, which was definitely a plus.

Watching the first-years adjust had been strange too. On the train, Lysander had mentioned a tiny student – presumably a first-year – noticing the Slytherin crest on his robes, and then giving him a dirty look.

Hours later, that same tiny student was being sorted into Slytherin, where Lysander made sure to welcome him with a wide, shark-like smile. Albus didn't remember looking quite so dishevelled as all these first-years did when he was Sorted, although most of that evening was a blur.

He did remember the entire adventure beforehand, although a small part of him had expected to forget, given that it apparently hadn't actually happened. Professor Longbottom had explained what had happened to the first-years before being Sorted, presumably, as Professor Adams had only welcomed them, rather than giving a speech as she had the previous year.

Louis Weasley had become the first Weasley to be Sorted into Hufflepuff, to the delight of that House. Louis, a happy-go-lucky sort, hadn't seemed to mind and although Lia had promised to keep an eye on him, Albus doubted that that would be necessary. Hufflepuffs were the welcoming type, and if Weasleys had managed in Ravenclaw then they would survive in Hufflepuff. It was when they started turning up in Slytherin that you would really know that things had changed.

Some of the second years had been disgruntled at the loss of the Inter-House Common Room as a place exclusively used by their year, as the new first years began to appear there too, showing every sign of repeating the friendships that the second years had sprouted between the different Houses.

No new members of staff had joined, nor any new ghosts. He'd happily greeted Nearly Headless Nick, who seemed resigned to being a ghost forever – both the Grey Lady and the Bloody Baron had moved on several years before. Although nobody truly understood how being a ghost worked – even ghosts themselves – people speculated that it was either the discovery of what had led to their deaths or the destruction of some part of the Hogwarts building that had let the two 'pass on', whatever that meant in spectral terms. They'd been replaced as Ravenclaw and Slytherin ghosts by two ghosts from the War. Anthony Stretton got on quite well with the Ravenclaw ghost, who was in fact his namesake – Anthony Goldstein.

Less was known about the young woman who was the Slytherin ghost. Blood-stained and scarred, wearing plain black robes, nobody recognised her and if the professors knew, they weren't telling. There were various rumours, each more far-fetched than the last. But in the end, that was the point of ghosts – who among them knew why Sir Nick had been made Nearly Headless, after all?

Professors had launched back into their lessons with frightening enthusiasm, and Albus knew that he was already behind on his homework. But homework could be done another day. Quidditch tryouts could not.

He reached the pitch. It was bright sunlight, although there was a definite chill to the air. Glancing to the stands, he saw that all of his friends had turned up to support him, and grinned, waving back to Lia as she waved at him.

All of the team were there.

Tall, dreadlocked Fred, Captain and Keeper. As a sixth-year, he was the oldest student in the team.

Dominique was only a year younger. Playing Chaser, she was everything Victoire hadn't been. Her strawberry blonde hair mimicked Bill rather than Fleur, although she did have her mother's long, leggy frame. She was a Prefect, although it was a mystery to all of them exactly how – while Victoire had achieved top grades in every subject, Dominique was only really scraping by. She didn't seem to mind her little brother not being in the same House as her, particularly since Louis didn't play Quidditch.

Roxanne was also a Prefect. Her hair wasn't quite as dark as Fred's, and had a reddish gleam to it in the sunlight. She too played Chaser, and got on very well with her cousin Dominique, despite the age gap of a year.

Lucy and Molly, (for some reason, nobody ever said Molly and Lucy) were the Beaters. They were already on their brooms, chasing each other or a ball, it was difficult to tell. Inseparable and indistinguishable, they had together had more detentions than the rest of their family put together – although James came close. Their grades, however, weren't all that bad, considering how little effort they seemed to put in. It had always amused Al's Mum, and Ron, that Percy had ended up with the twins who seemed the female versions of Fred and George.

James was only a year younger than the twins. The third Chaser on the team and only the second boy, he, like Albus, had been able to try out for the position as soon as he entered second year.

They were the only ones on the pitch, however. Although there were a few spectators, there were no other students there for try-outs.

Albus waited uncomfortable. Dominique, friendly as ever, caught his eye and winked sympathetically. She clearly wanted to come over and reassure him, but that wouldn't seem fair. It was going to be tough as it was to have an impartial try-out, without worrying about whether Albus got in, or if they would be seen as biased if he got in. There were already a few accusations of nepotism - it was impossible to avoid it when every Weasley of this generation to pass through Hogwarts had played on the Quidditch team. The fact that the Gryffindor team had claimed the Cup for the last four years, however, stopped most of the grumbles.

Five minutes passed. Ten. Fifteen. Scorpius and Aisha walked down to the bottom of the spectators gallery and beckoned him over. They started up a conversation, although Albus was feeling too nervous to contribute much.

Half an hour after the try out was supposed to begin, Fred finally came over.

"Um, it looks like you're our only recruit," he said awkwardly. It wasn't hard to work out why – everyone knew that Albus was trying out, and people probably expected that they'd never get a fair chance against him.

"Oh." Albus managed.

"So I guess we'll just have you fly a few laps….catch a ball." Fred shrugged. "We've all seen you play, we know you're good. We just have to pretend that we haven't."

Albus nodded. Fred blew a whistle and the rest of the team mounted their brooms and kicked off. Albus looked pale.

"It's alright," Aisha said encouragingly.

"You'll be great," Scorpius added.

He nodded in thanks, feeling too nervous to compose coherent sentences. Straddling his broom, he followed his family.

It was disastrous.

Fred had decided to see how many goals the Chasers could score against him before Albus caught the Snitch. Now, Fred was an amazing Keeper. But he was also having to watch Albus and the Chasers were almost as good, especially Roxanne and Dominique, who worked so well together that they could almost be sisters.

And the score still reached sixty points before Albus even made his first grab at the Snitch. It wasn't spotting it that was really the problem – alright, he did glance at the audience far more often than he ought. But even once he'd seen it, he'd find himself making elementary mistakes – wrenching the handle of the broom to the left or right far too violently or forgetting to keep his toes up and having his feet slip off the supports of the broom, leaving him unbalanced and his legs dangling in the air.

The few times that he managed to reach the Snitch, he forgot everything he'd ever known about leaning to the left, holding on with your knees or anything else and just grabbed for it.

Finally, with Fred's shouted and repetitive instructions still ringing in his ears and the score at one hundred and seventy points, he caught the Snitch.

Unfortunately, that would have been far too late in a real match, even if the opposing Seeker had been as useless as him and hadn't caught it first.

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**Well?**

**Do you think it's mean of me to make Albus too nervous to fly properly?**

**Did you like the chapter? What do you think of the other Weasleys?**

**Let me know.....**

**x**


	11. A Shooting Star, Leaping Through The Sky

**********Thanks for reviewing: Likewow5556, Someone aka Me, Doni, susiipie, mystlyx, Arlath's Daughter, Kitty Bridgeta and silverbirch.**

**You're all so wonderful - ten points to each of your respective Houses! Admittedly, I don't know what Houses they are....**

**A reminder of the main characters:**

**********Rose Weasley - Ron and Hermione's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Alice Longbottom - Neville and Hannah's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Albus Severus Potter - Harry and Ginny's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Scorpius Malfoy - Draco and Astoria's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lorcan Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lysander Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Slytherin  
Lia Creevey - Dennis Creevey's daughter, Half-Blood, Sorted into Hufflepuff  
Aisha Siddiqui - Muggleborn, Sorted into Slytherin**

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**Chapter Eleven: I'm A Shooting Star, Leaping Through The Sky**

**October 2018 - Al's First Quidditch Match**

Albus stared at the sausages that were heaped in front of him, and swallowed. He turned away, possibly the first time since arriving at Hogwarts that he had refused a Hogwarts breakfast.

"Relax, Al," Rose said gently, offering the plate of toast to him. "I've seen you as a Seeker. You're fantastic."

"But I was terrible in my tryouts," he croaked.

"And fantastic in your practise sessions," Scorpius reminded him. Given that no other student had applied to join the Quidditch team, Albus had become the Seeker more by default than anything else. As Scorpius said, he'd done alright in most of the Quidditch practices. He couldn't help it - flying after the Snitch was so fun when there was no stress on him, so why wouldn't he do well?

Albus shrugged. "There wasn't anything important about it. But when there is….it seems like the world is moving so much faster than me."

Rose considered saying that the world always moved faster than Al's brain, but decided that it would be unkind, given the circumstances. He was about to take on Hufflepuff in the first Quidditch match of the season, and his nerves were getting the better of him. According to Lorcan and Scorpius, he'd gotten very little sleep the previous night.

Their cousin Fred wasn't helping. Quidditch captain, he had impressed on Albus at every practice how important it was that they retained the Quidditch cup, especially because he intended to follow Quidditch as a career – and scouts might be at any match.

He hovered around, trying to encourage Albus, but only reminding him why he was nervous. In the end Roxanne, his sister and a Chaser on the team, grabbed hold of him and dragged him away. Albus soon followed, having only managed to choke down a single slice of toast.

Lia met him at the door to the Entrance Hall. "Good luck," she said. As a Hufflepuff, she had to support her House, but Albus knew that she honestly meant it.

"You too," he said.

"I hope that Hufflepuff win but you catch the Snitch," Alice told him. She was also supporting Hufflepuff – she seemed to make it a personal belief that she should never support Gryffindor, putting Ravenclaw first, Slytherin second and Hufflepuff third in her list of priorities.

But she was still a good friend.

They headed down to the pitch, surrounded by students. The day was warm and sunny, and so the spectator stands would be full.

Albus gulped.

"You'll be bloody fantastic," Scorpius told him. "And even if you're not – the rest of the team is, so you can just say that you were waiting to catch the Snitch until you were high enough on points."

Oddly enough, this actually made Albus feel better, and he managed to grin at Scorpius before heading into the changing rooms. As he changed into his Quidditch robes, he felt the churning in his stomach intensify.

People could say that this was unimportant all they liked, but his Dad had saved the _world _– and still one of the first facts that people remembered about him was that he'd been an amazing Seeker. Everyone out there was expecting him to live up to his family name.

He didn't hear the cheering or the whoops as they walked out onto the pitch. It was strange – as a spectator he'd always expected that hearing the applause must be one of the best parts.

It wasn't that it was so quiet so as to be inaudible, either. It had just receded, as his entire brain changed to think about two things.

Look for Snitch; move broom. That was it.

Oh, and occasionally he had to remember to breathe.

He barely even noticed the presence of the other team, as he kicked off the ground and soared into the air on his broom. Or his own team. There was him, the air and the Snitch.

He did hear the announcer's comments, but filed them in a part of his brain that wasn't really important right now. And, focused like this, he watched the other Seeker and searched the air for that golden glint.

The gentle breeze that blew meant he wasn't even distracted by the hot sun burning down.

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Out in the spectator stands, Aisha watched, biting her fingernails. She wanted Hufflepuff to have a good go at it, for Lia's sake – but she wanted Al to catch the Snitch even more.

"He seems to be circling a lot," she muttered to Rose, who'd had greater experience of watching Quidditch. "Is that good or bad?"

"It's better than staying still. That can mean that you've totally zoned out, and got all lost in your thoughts." The redhead smiled. "That's why I was a terrible Seeker."

Aisha smiled. "I suppose to be a Keeper, you have to be constantly awake and in the game?" she asked.

Rose nodded. "You have to be awake to be a Seeker too," she conceded. "One lapse in concentration could be the difference between a win and a lose, whereas it's only ten points for a Keeper. But it's easier to stay in the game if you're a Keeper. Everything's constantly moving, you don't have to remind yourself to stay alert. As a Seeker, you're so isolated that you can almost drift off."

"Look!" Scorpius suddenly yelled, pointing at Albus. "He's seen something!"

Sure enough, Albus was pelting towards the Hufflepuff end of the pitch. He'd flattened himself to his broom, all to gain more speed.

The rest of the team played on, knowing from experience that if you looked every time that a Seeker sighted the Snitch, you'd lose by a massive points margin. But the spectators watched for them.

Albus wasn't aware of any of this. He could just see the other Seeker, equally far from that dancing golden speck. And the speck, growing every second in his vision.

He urged his broom onwards under his breath. To be so close and not make it would be agonising.

At the last second the Snitch zipped upwards, but Albus wouldn't let it go. Equally quickly, he tilted his broom vertical and soared straight through the Snitch's line of flight.

Snatching it from the air as he went.

The referee blew his whistle. The crowd erupted in cheers, even those who had supported Hufflepuff clapping politely. Quidditch was so electrifying that it was impossible not to get caught up, even if you didn't really like sports in theory. When you were there, in that stadium, the atmosphere just caught you up and dragged you along with it, even if you didn't quite reach the excitement levels of those such as Rose, who was on her feet and clapping above her head.

Even Aisha, her usual dignity forgotten, was cupping her hands to her mouth and letting out wild whoops.

The Hufflepuff Seeker, a brawny fifth year whose name Albus did not know, grinned at him. "Nice catch," he said appreciatively. "Not sure if I'd been able to turn upwards that quickly."

"I was just closer to begin with," Albus said shyly.

"But you saw it, and that's what counts. Good luck for your next match, Potter. I hope I meet you again in the final. We might get a different result next time."

Albus didn't have chance to respond. He'd just been pounced on by six very excited relatives of his, all of them hugging him enthusiastically and talking at once.

The grin stayed on his face all the way to the changing rooms, his broom in one hand and the Golden Snitch, little wings fluttering against his fingers in the other.

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**Well?**

**How's my Quidditch writing, given that I'm definitely one of the aforementioned people who don't like sports in theory?**

**x**


	12. Change Your Ways While You're Young

**Ah, my first taste of a teensy bit of angst in this story. Strangely, considering that I love torturing characters usually, I've managed to refrain here.**

**My glorious reviewers: mystlyx, Arlath's Daughter, Kitty Bridgeta, Likewow5556, Doni, silverbirch, Melora and Joelle8!**

**A massive thank you to you all! Your words encourage me and cheer me up so much.**

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**November 2018**

**Chapter 12: Change Your Ways While You're Young**

Nobody knew what was wrong with him. Scorpius wasn't always the most cheerful of people, but he was generally nice. Occasionally quiet, but Albus could always cheer him up with his humour. Now he would barely laugh at Al's jokes, wouldn't banter with Rose, had snapped at Lorcan, ignored Lia, insulted Alice and simply wouldn't speak to Aisha.

It was bewildering. It had been going on for a full two weeks, mildly for the first few days and now even more severely. He wasn't paying attention in lessons, wasn't completing his assignments and hadn't shown up to any of his detentions.

Now he'd been called to a meeting with Professor Longbottom, as his Head of House, but he was sitting in the Inter-House Common Room doing nothing. Apart from glaring at passers-by, who made sure to hurry out of his gaze.

Albus came and sat next to him and began to chat, in a slightly forced jovial tone. It was remarkable, given the number of brush-offs that Scorpius had given him in the last week, that he even bothered any more.

Ignoring him completely, Scorpius got to his feet and left.

Albus stared after his best friend in shock. He'd tried everything. He'd asked what was wrong, tried to ignore it, tried to joke about it, tried to distract him. Nothing. What else could he do?

Someone else had had an idea. They silently trailed Scorpius until the pair were in a deserted corridor. At which point the Gryffindor whirled, crying "_Petrificus Totalus!_"

Lysander's body stiffened like a board and fell to the floor.

"What did you follow me for, Scamander?" Scorpius snarled.

Lysander said nothing – unsurprisingly, since his mouth was frozen like the rest of his body.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Finite," he muttered, turning away. "Now go away," he threw over his shoulder.

"You should tell him," Lysander called, as he clambered to his feet, rubbing an elbow that had hit the floor painfully.

This got a reaction when little else had.

"Tell who?" Scorpius sneered. "And there's nothing to tell." His tone was like ice, and his eyes were harder than chips of rock.

"You know who. And what." Lysander replied coolly, fixing Scorpius with a stare of his own.

Scorpius shifted uncomfortably as he tried to hold Lysander's gaze. Normally the Slytherin was so friendly, so easy-going and nobody could have guessed this skill of his. His silvery eyes would pierce yours, boring into your skull until you blurted the truth to get him to stop staring at you. Normally he kept his stare on a leash, knowing how it unnerved people but occasionally it came in useful. Like now.

"How do _you _know?" Scorpius spat finally.

"I read the Prophet, something none of our classmates apparently bother with. Although I bet the Professors do. Is that why you won't go meet with Professor Longbottom, or go to your detentions? Because they'll understand?"

"How could they understand!" Scorpius stalked towards Lysander, intimidating even at twelve years old. "In what possible way could anyone have common ground with _this_? Professor Longbottom? Professor Bell? Professor Corner? Or how about an ex-Auror, Professor Samson. Or Hagrid! A man who was nearly fired because of my bloody grandfather!"

Lysander remained silent as Scorpius continued his tirade. "And Aisha? You think she'd get it? Rose and Albus, with their family history? You think they'd get mine? Or perhaps Alice. She's always been _so_ friendly about my last name. Or Lia. For all we know, her uncle could have been murdered by that monster."

"You don't think he's a monster." Onlookers might have presumed Lysander to be a Gryffindor, as the bravery required to stand there and take Scorpius' tirade must have been overwhelming. The raw emotion in the voice of Scorpius marked him out clearly as one of that House.

"I do! What do you know about it? So your mum's a little crazy, big deal. My grandfather's a stark raving loony, who my Mum and Dad are still afraid of, yet whose respect Dad craves. And who my Gran still loves. And I'm glad he's free, because I love Gran and maybe now Dad will get his respect. But I wish he was still in Azkaban because I'm scared of him too. And I'm scared that when people hear about it, they'll remember all about me, and my family, and my history, and it'll be my first week all over again."

The insinuations and cold looks against Scorpius had ended after his first week, after a friendship with Albus Potter, a placement in Gryffindor House and Scorpius' own character had changed their minds. But the memory of that week was clearly still fresh in the boy's memory.

"And not telling Al will make it better?"

"How am I supposed to bring that up? Hey, by the way mate? My granddad, yeah, the one who tried to kill your Mum and most of your other relatives. He's been released from Azkaban, and he's living at our house now. Want to come for dinner?"

"I never knew you could be sarcastic," Lysander said idly.

"I didn't either." Scorpius admitted. "I never knew I could be this afraid, either," he added softly.

"Ashamed. And afraid. And ashamed that you are afraid. But you shouldn't be. Al wouldn't care."

"Maybe not about his release. But the letter? I got _this _from him a few days after I read the article." Scorpius threw a folded up piece of parchment at Lysander, who missed it but aimed with his wand to Summon it back.

Reading it, Lysander realised the reason for Scorpius having a deeper withdrawal soon after Lucius was released.

'_**Grandson**_

_**Greetings. I have hopes that you are well and learning much from your time at Hogwarts. I hope too that you are enjoying yourself. You will of course be expected to return home at Christmas so that I may meet my heir for the first time.**_

_**Your grades are average, although there is always hope for improvement. Do not fear my disapproval for the House into which you were Sorted. Slytherin, while it has been the home of Malfoys for many generations, may not be ideal for you.'**_

'_It doesn't seem too bad so far,' _Lysander thought, but continued reading. He knew Scorpius wouldn't have had this reaction just over a letter.

'_**I hope that your Gryffindor bravery might enable you to pull the Malfoy name into honour it has not seen for many generations. Equally, your friendship with Albus Potter might do the same, so I expect you to do your utmost to encourage this. The Ravenclaw, Rose Weasley, despite her Blood Status, could also be a useful ally if she is truly gifted in intelligence. The same for the Longbottom girl, especially as she comes from an excellent pureblood line. If you must marry one of these little friends, she would be my recommendation, although I expect your father will arrange something else for you.**_

_**Forget the Creevey girl. Not only is she a half-blood, but she seems to offer little to further you. The twins are endurable, as pure bloods from a respectable, if eccentric and foreign, family. The final one of your companions is assuredly not, however. It is for this reason that I am relieved at your Sorting not occurring into Slytherin, as this House is clearly no longer the fortress of purity it once was. The Mudblood girl is unacceptable. End all conversation with her at once.**_

_**You will see from this that I have knowledge of all of your school activities, so I shall know if you take any unsavory paths. My hopes that you do not,**_

_**L. Malfoy**_

It was signed with an elegant yet manly swirl.

"Why are you keeping it?" Lysander asked.

"That's your only question?" Scorpius retorted angrily. "You read that drivel and that's all you ask?"

"Exactly. It's drivel. Nonsense. So why let it bother you. Burn it in the fire and forget about it. Don't keep it in your pocket like a treasured possession."

"I need it to remind me."

"Of….?"

"Of where and what I come from. I can't forget that."

"You can! It doesn't matter to us. Any of us. Anyone who knows you. And it's insulting that you'd think otherwise."

"I wasn't trying to insult you, I was trying to help you. It's only a matter of time-"

"Before your skin splits and out rises the reincarnation of Lucius Malfoy? Please, Scorpius, get your brain in gear. I know Gryffindors aren't the brainiest, but this is taking it to extremes."

Pale cheeks flushed pink. "Hey! We're not all stupid? Albus isn't, I'm not. Are you calling your own brother stupid?"

"Anyone who would stop being your friend because of an article in the _Daily Prophet_ is stupid, right?"

"Yes, but-"

"Anyone who would read a letter by somebody else and stop being your friend is stupid, right?"

"Well, maybe-"

"So are you calling us stupid?"

"No! I-" Scorpius frowned. "How did you trap me into that?"

"It wasn't particularly difficult, my dear, simple, Gryffindor. And do you now think that being yourself and talking to your friends about your emotions, not having them poked out of you, might be a good plan rather than acting like a twat?"

"A _twat_?"

"My dad used the word," Lysander muttered.

"Right. Cool. And you can't talk about sharing your emotions. When have you ever been emotional?"

"I'm a Slytherin, it's what I do."

"Thank Merlin I wasn't Sorted into Slytherin, I don't think I could manage it."

"Scorpius, I know you couldn't. And you're such an open book, I can tell that you've completely forgotten your interview with Professor Longbottom."

"My…Circe's toenails! Bye! Thanks!"

Scorpius took off down the corridor, running for all he was worth.

Lysander rolled his eyes. "_And if anyone had said that a Slytherin would be offering a Gryffindor emotional advice three years ago, they'd have been laughed out of the school." _He reflected.

* * *

Meanwhile, Professor Longbottom stood at the entrance to Greenhouse Two. Scorpius came skidding up. "Sorry I'm late, Professor," he panted.

"Are you? It doesn't seem like you've been sorry about much, lately."

"I-" Embarrassed again for the second time in a single hour, Scorpius faltered. Neville sighed.

"Come inside, Scorpius." He led the way for the young boy. "Tea?"

"Um, no. Thank you."

"Of course. Probably still too young for tea, right? Don't worry, it'll hit you. Around about the same time you get embarrassed to be seen drinking hot chocolate."

"Listen, sir, about the past two weeks-"

"Can I assume that one of your friends has sorted it out with you," Professor Longbottom asked mildly.

"Um, yes. How did you know?"

Neville considered his answer. There were a lot of parts to it. Mainly the fact that Scorpius' voice, face and eyes all brimmed with life and passion again. He'd been reminding Neville far too much of Draco Malfoy recently, something that until now had barely been noticeable, so different were the two in personality.

"Let's just say that you're acting different," he finally replied.

"I guess I am. And I guess you know what it was about," Scorpius said tentatively.

"I do, although I'd imagine very few of your year-mates do. Yet. It'll filter down though, from those smart ones in the years above who do read the papers. And it probably won't be the last article in there. Someone has probably paid them to keep quiet so far, but there will be editorials, letters, comments, all coming in."

"I will tell the rest of my friends. Now that it's all alright in my head."

"Well, good. And Scorpius, you know that if anything like this happens again, you can talk to me. I'm sure your friends make good listeners too, but sometimes an adult can be a better ear."

Scorpius nodded, but the doubtful frown across his face said everything.

"_Merlin's beard, haven't I shown this to the boy yet? _Neville realised, with an odd sense of guilt. _He probably expects no friends on the staff, just because we've not had cause yet to tell him we have moved on from childhood rivalries._

"Scorpius," Neville repeated. "It doesn't matter what happened between your father and myself twenty-odd years ago, or between him and any member of staff. You are a member of my House, a student at the school where I am Deputy Headmaster and that puts precedence above everything. Understood?"

Scorpius glanced quickly at Neville's scars, then away.

"Scorpius! These scars are not your father's, or your grandfather's fault. They are partly mine, for not knowing when to shut up-"

"My Mum says that all it takes for evil to happen is for good wizards to do nothing. She says that's why people shouldn't consider her any better than my Dad."

"She said that to you?"

"No, I overheard. It was after some event, and I think someone must have insulted Dad."

Neville squatted down to the height of the twelve-year old, knowing how his own two metres could make him intimidating. "For the last time, even if it was your Dad's fault, we wouldn't care. It wouldn't make it your fault. And if anyone says different, and your friends can't convince them otherwise, then tell me. Do we have a deal?"

Scorpius wondered for a second what 'your friends can't convince them otherwise' might entail'. Then he nodded.

"Good." Neville stood back up, groaning slightly. "Oh, my back can't take that any more," he joked. "Now, go on, don't you have things to be doing?"

"Sir? What about my detentions?"

"I'll negotiate that with your Professors. You get all that due work in by Monday and we'll just forget those missed detentions."

Nodding fiercely in agreement, Scorpius hurried away before Professor Longbottom could change his mind.

* * *

**One of my longer chapters - so far. I have a feeling there are some longer ones in the works.**

**Please let me know, I'm deeply curious to know what you think of this chapter in particular**

**I know it might have seemed that Scorpius was cheered up very quickly, but he's twelve. No offence if there is a twelve year old reading this, but emotions don't tend to really be very long-lasting at that age. Twelve year old boys aren't given to deep introspection and moody silences, and won't be for a few more years.**

**x**


	13. Don't You Let Your Demons Pull You Down

**********Thank you for reviewing: susiipie, Arlath's Daughter, Doni, Likewow5556, silverbirch and Kitty Bridgeta**

**May your life be free of Boggarts (likely, unless you happen to have recieved an amazing letter when you were 11. Actually, if I could have magic, I'd take the Boggart.)**

**********A brief reminder of the characters, although I guess you probably all know them now?**

**********Rose Weasley - Ron and Hermione's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Alice Longbottom - Neville and Hannah's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Albus Severus Potter - Harry and Ginny's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Scorpius Malfoy - Draco and Astoria's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lorcan Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lysander Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Slytherin  
Lia Creevey - Dennis Creevey's daughter, Half-Blood, Sorted into Hufflepuff  
Aisha Siddiqui - Muggleborn, Sorted into Slytherin**

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**March 2019**

**Chapter 13: Don't You Let Your Demons Pull You Down**

They say that the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. But in this case, it was the best-laid plans of lions and snakes…and eagles, and badgers. A veritable menagerie!

In plainer English, it was the plan that Scorpius had hatched to venture into the Forbidden Forest to find the Acromantula nest that was rumoured to be there. There were many, many reasons not to do this. Most of which Alice, Aisha or Lysander had pointed out.

"I have such a bad feeling about this," Alice muttered.

"You don't have to go, you know." Rose said. "And a bad feeling? That's ridiculous."

"Are you saying bad feelings don't exist?"

"I'm saying that you can't predict things are going to go badly."

Alice smiled in a way that she hoped was enigmatic. She didn't want to argue with Rose, but she didn't agree. From experience, she'd learned that you could predict things. When she'd had a bad feeling about going to the Muggle zoo when she was nine – and Frank had chosen that weekend to discover his magic, and had unlocked all of the gates. She'd skinned her knee running away. When she'd tossed a coin onto the contents book of her Astronomy revision last summer to pick which chapters she should cram that morning – and every single topic she'd picked had come up. It was why she was looking forward to starting Divination in third-year. Hopefully it would teach her a more reliable way of predicting things. Or whether she was imagining it when she glimpsed images in water, or shapes in smoke.

And she had a _very _bad feeling about going into the Forest. Unfortunately, Albus had dared Lia, who was usually the other one to stay home, to go. So all seven of the others would be going, and she didn't want to be the only one left out. It wasn't the first time they'd been out on midnight wanderings. Albus and Scorpius alone had had twelve detentions in the previous year, and that was only when they'd been caught. It was still minor compared to James Potter, Al's older brother. Harry and Ginny had yelled at him repeatedly for that - and Harry had soon learned another downside of being famous. Your children knew all about what you got up to at school, and could legitimately say that they weren't breaking any more rules than he had.

It usually started with Scorpius having a bright idea - 'let's look in the Restricted Section', 'let's try get up to the Astronomy Tower.' Albus would leap on the bandwagon with disconcerting readiness. Rose, for all her Ravenclaw brains, could easily be goaded into joining them. Aisha would be almost as eager as Albus, although she did have a few more reservations when the suggestion was too outlandish. Lorcan would go if it was interesting enough and Lysander would go if Lorcan was, although he'd complain the entire time. Lia and Alice often hid in the Inter-House Common Room, waiting for the others to either be caught, or to return, at which point they'd be a willing audience to their friends' boasts about their exploits.

Which was how they all ended up, one way or another, outside of Hagrid's cabin. It was comparatively easy for Hufflepuffs – they only had to get out of their dorm, and there was an exit very nearby. Ravenclaws and Gryffindors had to negotiate their way down several floors, past suspicious Professors, ghosts and portraits.

They all approached the problem in their own way – Lysander and Aisha just never went to bed. They hid out near the Quidditch pitch until everything was quiet. Alice and Rose snuck out, with a library book in hand and the excuse that they _really _had to check this one fact which seemed so wrong. Thankfully, they didn't have to use their excuse.

Lia opted for the simplest approach. She visited the kitchen until it was time to go – at which point she snuck out the back exit.

Scorpius, Lorcan and Albus borrowed the Invisibility Cloak that Al's dad had given James. Which was, in Alice's opinion once they were reunited, cheating.

Lysander saw it differently. "It's not really," he argued. "They're using their gifts to get out. Not their fault that they didn't have anything mentally to use."

Ignoring these little protests, the group of eight ventured towards the Forest, wands drawn and conversation bubbling happily.

As the trees grew denser around them, they noticed nothing. They followed a path that seemed quite well-beaten. Some were too distracted in conversation, others too concerned with looking brave. Whatever the reason, it wasn't until they were so deep in the forest that they could no longer see the lights of the school that anyone thought to ask "do you know where you're going?"

Scorpius stopped and turned to look at them. Lorcan, beside him, didn't bother.

"Of course he does," Lorcan said happily.

"What do you mean, of course _he _does." Scorpius asked. "I'm following you."

"No, I'm following you," Lorcan told him.

"Please don't carry on this argument, it might just inspire me to murder you," Rose groaned.

"I'll follow that," Lysander muttered.

"Who put the Gryffindors in charge in the first place?" Alice complained. "We were bound to get lost with _them _leading us."

"We're not lost," Lorcan insisted.

"Of course, we just don't know where we are," Albus agreed. "Actually, we do know where we are. We're in the Forest!"

"Well, that's helpful," Rose retorted. "Any ideas _where _in the Forest?"

"Hopefully far away from the Acromantula nest and close to the castle," Alice muttered.

"Everyone, calm down!" Lia called. "We can find our way back easily. The Four-Point spell. Can anyone do it?"

"Yes," Rose and Lysander replied instantly, followed a moment later by Alice.

"Well, that's that then." Aisha said confidently. "Which way is the castle?"

A brief silence followed.

"North?" Albus suggested.

"Really?" Rose said. "I would have thought that, given the constellations we can see from Ravenclaw Tower, the Forest is East of the castle."

"Oh, I was just picking random directions out of my head. I've got no idea."

"Then let's not follow you." Aisha sighed. "All in favour?"

The resounding chorus of agreement startled some sort of bird from its perch in the trees above them. It let out an angry squawk as it flew away.

The Four-Point Spell having been performed, and the direction of North duly noted, the little band set off again.

"Should we sing as we walk?" Lorcan suggested.

"I'd rather not," Scorpius muttered.

"It might be a good idea," Lia said. "We're going to scare ourselves if we walk along too quietly, listening to all the things that go bump in the dark."

A hushed silence fell for a moment. Aisha rolled her eyes. "So we all try to listen for the things that go bump in the dark," she muttered to Lia.

"Of course, it's human nature," Rose said matter-of-factly.

"Well, this human is trying to head back to the castle. So anything that would make this slightly less creepy…."

"Anyone know any good songs?" Aisha asked.

"I can't sing," Scorpius said. "So no. I'll hum though. I know a few of the Manic Muggle hits."

"Oh, me too." Rose groaned. "Dominique and Roxanne are always singing them when they come around to ours. They want to form a band of their own."

"Really?" Albus asked. "They'd do really well, they can both sing. Although, can they think of a good name?"

"I wouldn't be able to," Scorpius agreed. "Everything would sound too pretentious or too ridiculous."

"I think they're lucky, knowing what they want to do," Lysander said. "Wish I did."

"You're twelve!" Albus exclaimed. "You've got plenty of time to decide."

"Thirteen, actually," Rose corrected.

"No, I am twelve." Lysander admitted. "6th of June, that's my birthday. Only a month and a bit to go!"

"Lucky for some," Scorpius complained. "I hate being born at the end of the school year."

"It's not much fun at the end of the calendar year either," Rose told him. "You get birthday and Christmas all in one go, then you have to wait twelve months again! And nobody ever has enough money to spend on your birthday because they spent it all at Christmas, _plus _it's New Year's Eve and so lots of people are busy."

"I like my birthday," Lorcan shrugged.

"Me too," Aisha told him. "Although I bet it's sunnier on the 6th of June than it is on the 31st of April."

"5th," Lorcan corrected.

"No, Lysander said 6th, definitely." Rose frowned.

"What, you don't know your own birthdays?" Albus joked.

"No, we're just born on different days," Lysander told them.

"I thought you were twins!" Alice gasped, as though they had lied to her for many years.

"We are," Lysander sighed. "But there was about fifteen minutes between us, and it just happened to be midnight."

"Just happened to be midnight, huh?" Aisha frowned. "That's so unlikely."

"Not really, there are only twenty four hours in a day. It's less unlikely than two friends being born on the same day," Rose argued.

"Yeah, but twins are so unlikely anyway," Aisha replied.

"But why are you arguing about this?" Scorpius interrupted. "It doesn't really matter whether it was magic or a coincidence."

"It's fun to debate stuff though," Lysander told him.

"You mean, fun to argue," Aisha retorted.

"Rose definitely believes that," Albus muttered. He'd been aiming to speak more quietly than Rose could overhear – unfortunately, in this particular aim, he had failed.

Rose elbowed him.

A girl screamed. At least, that was what Scorpius assumed, until he turned and saw a white-faced Lysander, staring at the lifeless body of his twin brother.

"Lorcan!" Scorpius gasped.

"What?" Lorcan replied.

Scorpius spun and saw the brown-haired Gryffindor, a grin on his face. "But- you're….how?"

He turned back to where Lysander had sunk to his knees beside Lorcan's body.

"Sandy!" Lorcan rushed past him to grab hold of Lysander. "It's not me. Dunno what it is, but it's fine."

"Fine?" Lysander sobbed. "You're dead!"

"No, I'm really not. At least, I'm walking, talking, breathing, sneezing." As if to prove a point, he sneezed three times, loudly. "See?"

The sneeze seemed to convince Lysander, because he threw his arms around his brother's shoulders.

"But what…." Aisha breathed, moving closer.

"Stay back!" Scorpius warned, throwing out an arm to prevent curiosity from persuading Rose to follow her.

_Crack_!

Lorcan's lifeless body became Aisha, older, thinner, and filthy. She was wearing several layers of clothes, all of them dirty and none of them fitting her properly. Mutely, she held out a bowl of loose change.

Horrified, Aisha stumbled back. Lia caught her, steadying her.

_Crack_!

The beggar-Aisha vanished, and for a moment the space seemed empty. Then Rose caught the smell of a sea breeze, and the wind began to pick up, twisting until a funnel appeared in front of Lia. It sprayed water everywhere, soaking the children's faces.

Albus jumped forward to pull the girls back, which was undoubtedly heroic, but also incredibly stupid, and they all heard another loud crack.

A giant snake, twenty feet long at least, was swaying above their heads. They cowered in horror as its head darted downwards, mouth open and fangs bared, ready to attack.

Scorpius leapt in front of his best friend.

_Crack!_

The snake was gone. In front of Scorpius stood a creature that they had seen in books, but only Rose, the twins and Albus could see in real life. It reared, flapping its black, leathery wings.

"A Thestral?" Rose whispered, confused. She glanced at Scorpius, whose face was white as a sheet. Then she realised.

"It's a Boggart, you idiots!" Rose cried. She moved forward, crying "Riddikulus!" as she did so.

Unfortunately, it didn't quite have the desired effect. The disappeared, to be replaced by a thousand scurrying mice. Rose shrieked, and conjured a chair from thin air. She leapt on it.

"Bloody hell," Albus muttered, impressed by Rose's spellwork despite the situation.

The mice flowed around the chair, then seemed to catch a new scent. They headed directly for Alice.

Crack!

And they reformed, into Professor Longbottom, towering over the tiny second-years. He turned away from his daughter, rejection in his every posture.

"_Riddikulus_!" Alice cried.

Professor Longbottom became Hannah Longbottom, shaking her head in dismay.

"_Riddikulus_!"

Augusta Longbottom.

"_Riddikulus_!"

Rose, back turned and chatting happily with the twins.

"_Riddikulus_!"

Lia, Aisha, Albus and Scorpius, striding away.

"_Riddikulus_!"

Alice's siblings. Her professors.

"Alice!" Lia cried. "It's not real." Together with Rose, she clamped her arm on Alice's.

"_Riddikulus_!" Alice cried, one more time.

And it was Professor Flitwick, trussed up in a fairy outfit and stuck on top of a Christmas tree.

She let out a nervous giggle. That was Rose's cue to move forward, at which point Professor Flitwick became a unicorn, yet a horrifically wrong one. Its horn was jagged and blood-drenched, and claws curved from its hooves. Its tail burned an ugly orange.

"Riddikulus!" Rose cried, and the tailfire was suddenly doused with a bucket of water. Tinsel wrapped around the unicorn's horn and hooves until it was hopelessly tangled.

"Must be stuck on a Christmas theme," Albus joked. The unicorn glowered, and tried to attack, but instead went rolling head over heels. The students laughed and, through her giggles, Rose cried "Riddikulus!" once more. And the Boggart vanished into nothing.

For a moment, nobody moved. Then Rose slowly sank to the forest floor, followed by Aisha. Lysander, still kneeling where his brother's dead body had been, pulled Lorcan to sit beside him.

"Can we go back to the castle now?" Alice finally asked, in a small voice.

"All in favour?" Scorpius asked. At the chorus of agreement, they got up and followed him, on legs that were still decidedly shaky.

"I thought we were going back to the castle," Lysander said slowly.

"We were," Albus replied.

"So why are we heading in the same direction that we came from?"

Rose frowned at him. "I'm taking us west, since the forest is east of the castle."

"Ohhhhhh," Lorcan sighed suddenly.

"You didn't!" Lysander gasped.

"Sorry."

"What?" Rose snapped. She and Scorpius, who were now leading the group, had stopped walking.

"We were heading east before. Because you said east-"

"And you weren't really listening?" Aisha finished.

Lorcan shrugged. "The bird, I was trying to work out what it was."

Used to Lorcan by now, the group just shrugged helplessly. "At least we're going the right way now," Albus soothed.

They continued in silence for a few more moments before Lorcan spoke again.

"Are we going to talk about it?"

Nobody had to ask what he was referring to.

"In about a million years, maybe," Alice replied, still shaken.

"Snakes freak me out. Not much to say," Albus said, shrugging. "It's a good thing I didn't end up in Slytherin, really."

"We don't actually have real snakes in our Common Room," Aisha told him. "Just like you don't have real lions in yours."

"That's what you think," Albus retorted.

"Death," Scorpius said abruptly. "It was a Thestral, because I'm scared of death. At least, I think that's why."

"Scared of dying or scared of watching people die?" Rose asked.

Scorpius shook his head. "I have no idea. Must be the second one, for a Thestral. Dying myself would actually be better, you're right. At least I wouldn't have to know about it."

"You don't think that there's something else?" Rose asked.

"I doubt it. Apart from becoming a ghost."

"But the ghosts say that there is. They say that they were scared of passing on. That means there is somewhere to go."

"So do you think it's a paradise? Or another life?" Lysander interrupted.

"A paradise," Lia said definitely.

"I agree with Scorpius. I don't think there's anything," Alice disagreed.

"I didn't say that," Scorpius protested. "I'm just not sure what. Or if it's somewhere I want to be."

"True. If it's just another life, do you want to?" Lysander asked.

"What do you mean?" Albus asked.

"Don't you think one time through this life is enough?"

"No. Living is wonderful." Albus replied. "Just think about everything you'd miss."

"Exactly," Rose said. "Think how lucky we were in this life. If we're reborn, what if we're unlucky next time."

"You mean, what if we're a slug or something?" her cousin asked.

"Even if it's a paradise," Lysander continued. "That means there is always a hell. Unless you think Voldemort, and the Lestranges belong in paradise?"

The students shuddered. "I think they do," Lia said quietly.

"What?" Aisha asked, unbelievingly. "They were cruel, evil…."

"There's no such thing as good and evil." Alice added. "Only people who made stupid decisions."

"Hear hear," Scorpius muttered.

"And haven't you changed your mind?" Aisha retorted. "When we first met, you were all for damning the guilty."

"I'm older now."

"Two whole years?"

"It makes a difference. As did my friends."

Albus could see Alice getting uncomfortable, and swiftly changed the subject. "What about your unicorn then?" he asked Rose, who shrugged.

"Good things turning bad," Lia suggested.

"Probably," Rose agreed. "And the sea?"

"A hurricane. It was a hurricane that made my parents meet, but it was also the same one that killed my auntie and my grandmother. My grandpa hasn't been the same since. I know that it was actually caused by Death Eaters, but that doesn't stop me being scared of them."

"Mine was obvious," Lysander said quickly.

"And mine was failure, which is interesting." Aisha mused. "I would have expected failure, but it's fascinating the form in which it took."

Albus shook his head. "Only you could see that as a chance to learn," he told her.

"It's always a good tactic," she retorted.

"The castle!" Scorpius suddenly cried as they came out of the dense forest to see the lights twinkling above them, and Lysander clapped in relief.

"Now, if anyone ever has an idea this stupid again, count me out," Alice told the others.

"Ditto," Lia added.

"It was fun, but I like my bed more," Rose agreed.

"I had a good time," Aisha shrugged.

"Me too," Lorcan said. "Although I never got to see my Boggart."

"Trust me, you don't want to. I never want to see one again," Lysander said, shuddering.

"G'night then," Rose said, as she and Alice began to peel off to sneak back to Ravenclaw Tower.

"You haven't talked about your Boggart," Scorpius reminded Alice.

"And long may it stay that way," the blonde replied. "See you tomorrow."

"You mean, today," Albus sighed, as he, Lorcan and Scorpius headed in a different direction.

**

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**What did you think of their Boggarts? And of the chapter in general?**

**Anyone know, or think that they know what their Boggart might be?**

**Let me know in a review, else I'm talking to myself and that's a sign of madness.**

**x**


	14. A Million Miles Away

**********A very short chapter. I'm sorry, but the last two were long!**

**Thank you for reviewing: mischief-maker123, silverbirch, Likewow5556, Someone aka Me, Kitty Bridgeta, Doni, susiipie and Arlath's Daughter**

**I hope you like the chapter and agree with the choices. I'm glad I didn't have to pick between wizarding subjects - I'd be like Hermione, unable to decide so choosing them all. What would you pick if you could?**

**********Rose Weasley - Ron and Hermione's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Alice Longbottom - Neville and Hannah's daughter, Sorted into Ravenclaw  
Albus Severus Potter - Harry and Ginny's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Scorpius Malfoy - Draco and Astoria's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lorcan Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Gryffindor  
Lysander Scamander - Luna and Rolf's son, Sorted into Slytherin  
Lia Creevey - Dennis Creevey's daughter, Half-Blood, Sorted into Hufflepuff  
Aisha Siddiqui - Muggleborn, Sorted into Slytherin**

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**Chapter 14: All Your Hopes and Dreams Are A Million Miles Away**

**April 2019 - Choosing Subjects For Third Year**

All eight of them had gathered in the Inter-House Common Room, subject choice sheets in hand. Some of them had advice from relatives – although Rose's consisted only of "Don't take Divination!"

Albus sighed. "I definitely don't want to take Arithmancy or Ancient Runes. They sound ridiculously hard."

Rose laughed. "I can't choose between them. I want to study them both, but I want to take Care of Magical Creatures too."

Alice leaned over and glanced at Lysander's sheet. "Arithmancy and Ancient Runes?" she asked, surprised. "I would have thought you would have taken Care of Magical Creatures. Your family _literally_ wrote the textbook."

"True. And I lived through the writing, and I still do every summer. The last thing I want is to do the same during termtime."

"But other people might have different points of views on animals," Lorcan pointed out. "We might learn stuff we don't already know."

"I suppose you're taking it then?" Rose asked.

Lorcan nodded. "And Muggle Studies. They're almost as interesting. It's about two totally different environments for two creatures of the same species. I want to know how that affects them."

"I just want to know how to act if I go out the other door to the Leaky Cauldron," Alice said. "So I think I'm taking it too."

"Me too," Albus and Scorpius said in unison. They looked at each other and laughed.

"Well, I think I know plenty about Muggles," Aisha grinned, "so that narrows my choice down. And I don't think I'm patient enough for Divination, and I'm really not a big animal fan, so it looks like I'm left with Arithmancy and Ancient Runes."

"I hope you don't have to be too patient with Divination," Alice said, "since I'm not exactly the most patient of people, but I want to take it. Is anyone else?"

Lia nodded. "I think I will. And Care of Magical Creatures."

"I reckon I'll take that," Albus put in. "Along with Muggle Studies. It shouldn't be too difficult, and Professor Hagrid is fun."

Rose groaned. "I want to take them all," she complained. "But Mum told me I shouldn't." Closing her eyes, she did the only thing she could. She stabbed her quill at the page and opened her eyes. "Arithmancy," she read with satisfaction. "Alright. That's good. I'd probably be better at that than Ancient Runes. It sounds too much like languages, and I wasn't very good at those when I tried to learn French at school."

Scorpius nodded. "I think I'll take Arithmancy too. It sounds…interesting? I can always learn about magical creatures by another quick trip into the Forest."

He and Albus shared a grin. They were planning to do just that, as soon as exams were over.

"Are you mad?" Alice asked. "Why would you go back into the Forest? Don't you remember last time? And next time, it could be worse. There are all sorts of awful things in there." She shuddered.

"That's the point," Albus told her.

"It's against the rules," Aisha told them, then smiled. "....and that won't factor into your plans at all. But I want to come."

"Me too," Rose said excitedly. "It'll be so fun."

Lysander stared at her in disbelief. "No, it won't." he muttered. "But safety in numbers and all – I should go too. Besides, you clearly can't navigate, judging from last time."

"Yeah, because that's the reason why," Alice laughed. "Not because you want to show off everything that you know about animals."

Lysander grinned at her. "That too," he said, mock-modestly.

"I think Alice and I will be waiting at Hogwarts for you," Lia said. "Unless she's had a personality transplant in the last few days."

"No, it's a pretty safe assumption that I'll stay here," Alice agreed.

"So who's going to be in all the lessons?" Rose interrupted curiously. "Me, Aisha, Scorpius and Lysander in Arithmancy."

"Me and Lia in Divination," Alice added.

"Just Aisha and I in Ancient Runes," Lysander put in.

"Muggle Studies with Scorpius, Alice…." Rose trailed off.

"And me and Lorcan," Albus finished.

"And half of us taking Care of Magical Creatures," Lia pointed out.

"I think that's everything," Lysander sighed. "It's weird. The ones we're picking now – they're going to be our OWL subjects."

Albus shuddered. "Don't talk about OWLs! End-of-year exams are bad enough."

"OWLs will be interesting though," Aisha mused. "We'll be more than half way through our school. Thinking of careers – I can't wait."

"Until they're over?" Scorpius asked. "Because that's fine. Otherwise, I'm scared of you."

"Well, I am pretty terrifying," Aisha said calmly. "After all, I'm taller than you."

This, unsurprisingly, provoked an argument. During which they all had to stand up, stand back-to-back, and various neutral onlookers, usually Lia and Alice. Lia because she could be depended on to be neutral and Alice because she didn't want to get involved in this – she knew she was shortest, and it was infuriating. Her father was incredibly tall, but no – she had to get her mother's genes in that respect.

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**Wow, that was a lot of dialogue! This is my shortest chapter words-wise, but it didn't end up actually being shortest. **

**Please review!**

**x**


	15. We Are The Champions

**Thank you to my reviewers: mystlyx, Doni, Likewow5556, Arlath's Daughter, Kitty Bridgeta and silverbirch!**

**Now, a plea! **

**One thing I want to ask anyone who is reading this - pairings. They are inevitable - I plan to continue this story to the point where I'll want them, but I'm going to stress this now - they won't appear for at least a few more years. These kids are thirteen, and without even the extra maturity of the the War generation. **

**They are just not ready for relationships at that age. But I plan my chapters out way in advance of what I update, and although I do know what my pairings will be, I want to know who _you_ think they will be, or what relationships the kids might have before they get to their final pairing. Bear in mind that I'm a big fan of the 'opposites attract' theory.**

**Please let me know in your review! I'm deeply curious! I don't care if you're wildly wrong, just take a guess!**

**On with the story!**

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**Chapter 15: We Are The Champions**

**16th May 2019 - The Quidditch Final**

"And they're off! With the Gryffindors, we have Weasley, Weasley, Weasley, Potter, Weasley, Weasley aaaaand Potter!"

People laughed, although this was the fourth time that this joke had been told. It was intimidating, though. A shame, really, that the famed red hair hadn't passed to all the Weasley descendants. That would have been _really _intimidating.

Continuing with her narration of the match, Mandy Standish began to introduce the Ravenclaw players.

In the stands, Rose watched both teams anxiously. It was hard to know who to support – her House on one side, her family on the other. She knew she'd be glad with both outcomes really, even if she didn't admit that to her house-mates, who were booing loudly as her cousin scored the first goal of the game.

It didn't help that she couldn't even, like Alice, want Ravenclaw to win but Albus to catch the Snitch. Dominique and Roxanne were two of the Chasers, and her two favourite cousins, with the complete exception of Lily (who seemed more like a sister than a cousin). She even liked Fred, who was not only the Keeper but also the Captain and hoping to play Quidditch professionally. James, Molly and Lucy got on her nerves most of the time (on the twins' side, this was due to far too many pranks played on a young, unsuspecting Rose) although they had their good points.

Lysander and Lia were supporting Gryffindor too. Lysander out of fraternal loyalty; Lia because she didn't know any of the Ravenclaws actually playing.

Aisha had decided to throw her lot in with the Ravenclaws, however, out of gratitude to Alice. Alice always supported Slytherin second to Ravenclaw, after all.

Ravenclaw scored for the first time, and the three girls rose to their feet to join in with a huge Mexican wave that swept the entire Ravenclaw-supporting stands, before coming to an abrupt halt as it reached the Professors.

Their year had been amazing. Passing even more quickly than the first, and offering the possibility of feeling superior to the new 'ickle firsties', it was hard to realise that it was now May, and that this was the Quidditch Final.

Aisha had turned thirteen a fortnight ago. It seemed so much older than twelve, somehow. In the same way that fifteen was older than fourteen, yet fourteen didn't seem all that different to thirteen. Being thirteen was the unlucky number. The proper start to being a teenager.

Reflecting on this, she remembered something else.

"What is anyone getting the twins for their birthday?" she asked the other two girls.

Rose sighed. "No idea," she confessed. "I've been thinking about it for ages now, but all I can come up with is the old standby, chocolate."

Alice hid a smile at the 'been thinking about it for ages' comment. It never failed to astound her just how organised Rose was. She was the sort who had budgeted for Christmas by October, who packed her school bag the night before and who could always be relied on to borrow a spare quill from. It was more than Alice could do to lay out next morning's robes – why not just get up a little earlier to do it?

"Chocolate always goes down well," Aisha agreed. "Especially with Lorcan."

They'd discovered that by accident. Someone had left a supersized box of chocolate frogs near Lorcan, and he'd steadily munched his way through them. The normally calm, absent-minded Gryffindor became suddenly dynamic at the mere mention of the word, although the consumption of it didn't seem to have any hyper-inducing effects on him.

"You could get Lorcan a sketchpad," Alice suggested.

"Does he draw?" Rose asked, intrigued.

"Oh, definitely," Aisha agreed. "Anything. Only ink sketches – he doesn't colour things in, or use paints. But he's so quick at it."

"Try sneak a look at his notes sometime," Alice added. "All of the margins are covered with doodles. Of people too, which is best. Particularly because, being Lorcan, he doesn't always cross them out before handing the work in."

"What about Lysander?" Rose asked. "Any secret habits?"

"I don't think we'd be able to find them out if there were," Aisha said. "I know Slytherins are secretive, but he makes an art-form of it."

"Are Slytherins secretive?" Rose questioned. "In your dormitory, is there silence because you don't dare say anything?"

"Does everyone in your dormitory read constantly?" Aisha countered.

The new Sorting had worked – to a point. Although for two years now, people had been Sorted using the new method, there were still a few lingering prejudices in the older years.

The Inter-House common room was mostly used by their year and the one below. Above that, the Houses kept to themselves, particularly Slytherins, and Aisha knew from eavesdropping on gossip that some older students still had the same, outdated stereotypes about her House.

As a result, she could be more touchy about insults to her House – especially because she encountered it both ways, as a Muggleborn from Slytherins and as a Slytherin from others.

Rose shrugged. "Sort of. Gina and I do, anyway. Alice does too, even if she does it in the mornings rather than when she goes to bed like I do. Kate hardly ever does. I don't know how she'd have time."

"Or if she'd be able to sit still for long enough," Alice added dryly. Kate O'Keefe was the most energetic girl in their House, only beaten to the title of the most hyper girl in the year by Branwen Kendrick, her best friend and a Gryffindor.

"Then there's Sophie." Rose added. It was an afterthought. Sophie always was – she was the shadow-type, who trailed more popular, talkative girls and provided a willing listener.

"And who knows what she does," Alice said. "She'll just agree with whatever you say."

Aisha looked uncomfortable. Although she liked to know about the gossip, she always tried to avoid being unkind or obviously gossiping about people. It was much easier to unobtrusively eavesdrop. That way, nobody could ever report 'Aisha said that you….' or 'Aisha was laughing at you….'.

Maybe it was paranoid. But it was fair.

Alice, however, was the exact opposite. And yet, precisely the same. She, too, delighted in knowing gossip, but also had her greatest fun in passing it on. And didn't care who overheard her, which was why she wasn't the sort you'd tell a secret to.

Their conversation was briefly interrupted by Albus sighting the Snitch. The Ravenclaw Beaters, however, soon drove him away and the excitement died down. With the score now at ninety-twenty, to Gryffindor, Ravenclaw needed to win soon.

The girls turned back to each other.

"So, what about your House," Rose persisted. Alice hadn't bothered asking. Knowing what Aisha was like, she didn't expect a response.

She was surprised, therefore, when the other girl answered.

"No, we do talk in our dorm. Liv Donovan's the quietest. You know, Demelza's friend?"

The others nodded. "What about that Natasha?" Alice asked. "I heard about her really losing her temper in Potions a few weeks ago. She just erupted on Wayne Macmillan."

Aisha shrugged. "She can be a bit volatile," she agreed tactfully.

"That's an understatement," Rose snorted.

"Although, Wayne Macmillan? He probably deserves it. I've never met a more arrogant, pompous, prejudiced…" Alice had to trail off as she ran out of insults. "I don't know how he's a Gryffindor. He hasn't got any nobility about him at all."

"I don't know how Gabriel Elliot can stand to be friends with him. But they're inseparable," Aisha commented.

"You'll never find out," Rose sighed. "He's Gabriel Elliot."

This statement spoke for itself. Gabriel Elliot was the sort to talk little, and say less. He'd shared a dorm with three of their closest friends for two years, yet none of the eight of them knew anything about him. His family, his hometown, whether he was Muggle or wizardborn.

"He's always seemed really nice though, on the very rare occasion I've spoken to him," Aisha defended.

"Which just makes it stranger why he's friends with an idiot like Macmillan." Alice said. "Anyway, why did Natasha yell at Macmillan this time?"

"He was being mean about Violetta Goyle. Who's just the sweetest person I've ever met. I don't know how she's not a Hufflepuff."

"I think she tries to be sweet." Alice said thoughtfully. "I've heard about her family. I think she does have ambition. Ambition to restore her family's name, and being well thought of is one of the best ways she can think of to do it."

"Yes, but everyone has ambitions like that," Rose disagreed.

"But she would be ruthless about it. No offence!" Alice said quickly to Aisha. "But I do think that Slytherins can be a bit ruthless. Ravenclaws can be just as cold and calculating, so it's not an insult. It's just a trait."

Aisha shrugged. "I don't think it matters as much, not now. There's no War. We're never going to be properly tested for how we'd behave in one."

"It's all about the little things, now. What makes a person from each House a bully, and things like that." Rose said.

Alice frowned. "Well, that counts out Hufflepuff for a start."

Aisha shook her head in disagreement. "I don't think so. Think about bullies who follow the pack loyally."

"And Gryffindor has bullies who think they're doing the right thing," Rose added.

"Ravenclaw bullies would bully people for being stupid," Alice said.

"And Slytherins would bully because they wanted power," Aisha ended. "See, we're no better than each other."

"You never answered the question," Alice remembered. "Is your dormitory quiet, even with the volatile Natasha?"

"I don't think Natasha's _that _volatile," Rose snorted. "Not compared to Lily, anyway." She smiled at Aisha. "You'll get to meet her next year."

"I can't wait," Aisha said. "You talk so much about her, I'm as curious as a Ravenclaw."

"We've left out one girl in your dorm," Rose realised. "Meghan Blackmoor? What's she like?"

Alice kicked Rose on the ankle, and gave a subtle indication of the thumb behind them. Sat only two rows away was the girl in question, along with her Ravenclaw best friend.

"They can't hear us from there," Rose hissed. "And that hurt!"

"I'd have thought you knew her better than me," Aisha said. "She spends most of her time in your Common Room after all."

Alice nodded. "Her and Imogen were a match made in heaven. They like schoolwork even more than Rose!"

Suddenly a screaming erupted around them. Their gazes flew back to the pitch. The Ravenclaw Seeker had sighted the Snitch. Albus had only been an instant behind, however, and the two were now neck and neck in pursuit. With Al's lighter frame, it was possible he'd get there first. But Bethany, the Ravenclaw Seeker, was a sixth-year, with all the greater experience that came from four years of Quidditch.

Out of nowhere, a Bludger appeared. It smashed into Bethany's waist, sending her veering off course. Albus was free to take the Snitch, and soon did so. Rose saw her cousins, the Gryffindor Beater Molly congratulating Lucy. Or was it Lucy congratulating Molly? At this distance, the twins were indistinguishable.

Rose sighed, although she did clap. She was glad Albus had caught the Snitch, but it would have been fantastic if it had been Ravenclaw who had deprived Gryffindor of the Quidditch Cup after four consecutive years at the top.

With the final score standing at two hundred and seventy to thirty, however, Gryffindor were clear winners, at least for another year.

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**And that's the end of Year Two!**

**I hope that you liked it. By the way, not to give spoilers but I promise, Gryffindor will not always win the Cup! Or even the match. In future, the chapter title will reflect that for chapters about matches - this one was just chosen to honour Gryfindor's extensive winning streak. **

**Please let me know about pairings!**

**x**


	16. Growing Up, Getting Old

**Well, thank you all for your reviews and any guesses that I got! Greatly appreciated: The Tester, mystlyx, Kitty Bridgeta, Arlath's Daughter, silverbirch, Doni, Likewow5556 and Joelle8!**

**We enter Third-Year! I can't believe it!**

**Please read and review!**

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**Chapter 16: Growing Up, Getting Old**

**September 2019 - Their New Lessons**

Three years into Hogwarts and the students felt very superior. Third year was the point where students became far more trusted - not only were the students permitted to visit Hogsmeade, but also upon beginning their third year, all the students were excited to be taking up their new subjects – subjects which they'd chosen, nonetheless. So it was with wide eyes and excitement that on the very first day of their timetable, Lorcan, Lia, Albus and Rose all walked down to the space outside Hagrid's hut, which was where Care of Magical Creatures always took place. Their class was quite large, with at least twenty pupils having chosen it. It was always one of the more popular options, like Divination and Muggle Studies. They were seen as being so much easier than either Arithmancy or Ancient Runes.

Hagrid eyed the expectant students who waited outside his hut. He knew Lorcan, Albus and Rose quite well – the last two for many years and Lorcan ever since coming to Hogwarts. Not only did the boy have a close friendship with Alice, who still visited Hagrid on a regular basis, but he could also be often found in the Forest, visiting the Thestrals like his mother.

Over twenty years of teaching experience had given Hagrid the chance to hone his skills, although he still approached each class with an awkward air that made him one of the most approachable Professors. Some people assumed a lack of knowledge from this, but they were mistaken, as they sometimes discovered when lessons took a turn for the dangerous, as was inevitable sometimes.

"Righ', well, we're going to be studying Bowtruckles today." He began. Bowtruckles, he'd eventually decided, were the perfect first lesson. They were vicious creatures, all too often rewarding a student who did the wrong thing with a bite or a scratch. This taught students to listen to him in future, without being as drastic as the Hippogriff situation.

He still thought it a bit of a shame, though. They weren't really that impressive.

As the lesson progressed, it was easy to divide the good students from the bad, and the actually enthusiastic from those just taking the soft option. For a start, anyone who squealed when they had to hold woodlice in their palm for the Bowtruckles was generally a bad option.

Thankfully, there were only two who did that, although they did manage to drop all of their woodlice on the floor. He made a note of Aileen McKenzie and Imogen Yen, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw respectively.

He also thought to keep a special eye on Edward Landers and Gavin Maxwell. They were showing their Bowtruckle absolutely no respect, and were eventually caught out by a sharp scratch from one of its feet. The fact that Maxwell was a Ravenclaw (although Landers was a Slytherin) meant nothing any more. This year's Sorting had made that perfectly clear. Lily Potter had approached the stool, to the sound of fascinated silence, and the slight gasp from old Professor Flitwick. He was the only Professor who had taught Lily Evans, and despite the years that had gone by since then, it was easy to remember how she looked - and how her namesake looked like her twin, with her father's eyes and mother's hair.

Then, after a few minutes where all could see Lily's lips moving as she spoke to the Hat, it had called out...."SLYTHERIN!"

Albus and Rose had applauded enthusiastically, but the sound was lost behind the roars of triumph from the Slytherin table. They, it seemed, were thrilled to have her. Who could call them evil now, with the daughter of the Chosen One and Saviour of the Wizarding World amongst their number?

Hagrid sighed reminiscently, his beetle-black eyes soft with memories. Although he'd not taught Lily Evans, he had known her well, and hoped that her grand-daughter would do well in Slytherin House. With a start, he came back to the present, checking to see that his students were all coping with their Bowtruckles.

Lia was doing better than some might have expected. She didn't really like the Bowtruckles, their dark eyes glaring at her malevolently, but the insects didn't phase her. Without Scorpius, Albus wasn't messing around at all. Normally he and Lorcan would have managed that, but Lorcan was far too absorbed in the Bowtruckle to be any fun. He settled for putting a woodlouse into Rose's hair.

Far too calmly, she levitated it out and down his shirt.

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In Ancient Runes, the lesson wasn't quite as active. They'd had the lecture from Professor Pucey, all about how Ancient Runes was the meaning of everything. It was a large part of how they translated books of old spells, and it had been the basis for rediscovering original incantations after so much was lost in the Middle Ages.

Lysander and Aisha made up a quarter of the class. Ravenclaws made up another half. There was only one Hufflepuff and no Gryffindors, the final student being another Slytherin, Meghan Blackmoor.

Not that this surprised anyone – a subject that most people considered knowledge for the sake of it could have been designed for Ravenclaws. Aisha and Lysander loved it, however, not least because of Professor Pucey. He turned out to be an excellent professor, interspersing detailed grammar with fascinating anecdotes about historical figures and parts of their language, such as the origin of the swish-and-flick motion of Wingardium Leviosa actually etching out the rune for flight.

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The class sizes were nearly as small in Arithmancy, ten students this time. Five were Slytherins – promoting analytical thinking and a recommended subject for many of the most advanced careers, it was as good a fit to Slytherin as Ancient Runes was to Ravenclaw.

The students included Aisha, Scorpius, Lysander and Rose. They discovered that its reputation as a tough subject wasn't undeserved, and Scorpius had reason many times throughout the year to thank the chance that had sat him next Rose. Professor Vector, however, had a love of the subject as strong as Professor Corner's enthusiasm for Potions, although even she admitted that the ridiculously heavy textbooks were a little annoying.

She tried to be reasonable about the amount of homework she set so that they didn't always have to lug the books down from the sixth-floor room but could just leave them there, lightening their bags by a good few pounds.

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Arithmancy ran at the same time as Divination. This had possibly the worst reputation in all the school – whilst there was a practical use for Care of Magical Creatures and Muggle Studies, Divination was generally dominated by lazy boys and giggling girls.

Thus Lia was one of the very few Hufflepuffs in the class of thirteen. An unlucky number, as Professor Trelawney did point out. Thankfully, she made the fourteenth person, so they could conduct their lessons without too much hysteria.

Daisy Peakes and Kate O'Keefe were two who were quite disappointed by the fact that Firenze didn't teach their year. They spent far too much of their lesson giggling madly, and often involved Alice in their jokes, leaving Lia, who was the fourth girl who sat around that little table, bored out of her mind.

There was far too much staring at tea-leaves for all of their taste, although they discovered when they moved onto crystal balls that they should have stuck with the tea. The crystal balls were so incredibly dusty, stained or cracked that it was a wonder that anyone could see anything in them.

Admittedly, there did seem to be a few fluke successes, especially including Alice and Evie Samuels, a serious-seeming Ravenclaw girl. Daisy and Kate made sure to gasp madly every time that anything was predicted correctly, although Alice did make light of the fact, joking that it was because of the tea-leaves - the plants must like her, thanks to her father and his Herbology know-how.

Strangely, her success seemed to diminish throughout the year, although her pauses before she gave an answer grew longer.

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Muggle Studies had been growing steadily in popularity for years. More and more Muggleborns were actually taking it, so Professor Stebbins had to keep sharp to avoid being corrected. As wizards were coming around to the fact that Muggles had quite a few good inventions - portable music players, radio where you could see people and portable version of Floo-calls.

Nobody had yet found a way to make Muggle inventions work in wizarding areas like Diagon Alley or Hogwarts. Muggleborn students and those like Lia and Alice, who lived in or had ventured into Muggle areas were often devastated by this, and several were horrified to discover that keeping your wand in the same pocket as your MP3 player or mobile phone was just asking for it to break.

Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes had entered the market, as they did into anything where they saw an opening. The possibilities were so great that they'd created an almost entirely separate company to control it, with a different name (although the same W symbol to reassure customers that they'd get the same quality).

Muggle technology was moving faster than wizards could catch up, however, and Muggle Studies was becoming an option not just for those who wanted to work or live in the Muggle world, or those who had a curiosity about Muggles, but also for those who had ambitions to make money, and could recognise the potential.

Thus it was the biggest class, twenty-four students, and an almost even mix of the Houses. Everyone lived in anticipation of the fifth year school trip, where they actually got to visit a Muggle cinema!

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**Thank you for reading!**

**Another Quidditch try-out chapter next time, with at last some girls getting into it!**

**Please review - any comments on the subjects, House distributions, Lily's Sorting, just to let me know that you're reading - all welcomed!**

**x**


	17. Now We're Cruising In The Sky

**Thank you for reviewing: Kitty Bridgeta, mystlx, The Tester, Arlath's Daughter, Doni, Likewow5556 and silverbirch**

**A quick reminder: **

**Rose Weasley, Ravenclaw - Only daughter of Hermione and Ron Weasley  
Alice Longbottom, Ravenclaw - Eldest daughter of Hannah and Neville Longbottom  
Albus Severus Potter, Gryffindor - Youngest son of Ginny and Harry Potter  
Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, Gryffindor - Only child of Astoria and Draco Malfoy  
Lorcan Scamander, Gryffindor - Son of Luna and Rolf Scamander  
Lysander Scamander, Slytherin - Son of Luna and Rolf Scamander  
Aisha Siddiqui, Slytherin - Muggleborn  
Amelia Creevey, Hufflepuff - Only child of Dennis Creevey**

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**Chapter 17: Now We're Cruising In the Sky**

**September 2019 - Rose and Aisha try out for the Quidditch team**

Aisha ran a brush through sweat-soaked hair, wishing she could go back to the dorm and change. She could technically have showered in the Quidditch locker rooms, but didn't really feel comfortable doing so in a row of showers that didn't even have _curtains_, for Godric's sake!

She smiled at her reflection. To think, she was starting to use wizarding swear words. It was quite useful, since it didn't really feel like swearing (so she didn't have to feel guilt on behalf of her parents), but still released all that pent-up emotion. On the other hand, she'd also caught herself saying 'Merlin's beard' when something shocking came on the news back home, or 'chimaeras and chizpurfles' in exasperation, (Lily's favourite exclamation, which had slipped into both Rose and Al's speech), and that caused odd looks to be thrown at her.

The thought of Lily removed the smile from her face, for a second. It wasn't that she didn't like the little girl. Even if she hadn't been the little sister of one of Aisha's best friends, she'd have taken an interest in her.

The full story of Lily's Sorting trip hadn't really come out. With a sulky expression, she'd explained to her brother that 'some idiots don't think they need to take advice and end up getting eaten.'

Aisha had taken that to mean that they hadn't got very far. Lily certainly hadn't made any particular friends. If she'd been Sorted into Gryffindor, it might have been alright. Not because they'd have been any more welcoming, but because all of the Weasley family (whether they carried the name or not) seemed to consider that they had the in-born right to a place in Gryffindor, and that even if they didn't display the right characteristics now, they would do if push came to shove.

Most pure-blood families seemed to agree with this point of view for whatever House their ancestors had typically belonged to, even if all that had changed. Although Hugo Weasley had followed tradition and had become a Gryffindor with the majority of his family, in this year alone Frank Longbottom had ended up in Hufflepuff and Elena Nott had become a Gryffindor. This led Scorpius to wish that his aunt Daphne had married Elena's father, Samuel Nott, rather than who she had married - Samuel's older brother Theodore, who had brought up Scorpius' actual cousin, the vile Patricia. He would have much preferred to have had Elena as a cousin, judging from her smile of delight when she joined the Gryffindor table.

But when you were Sorted into a non-traditional House, you searched yourself for the qualities that were expected. And Lily couldn't find any of them in herself. She'd gone so far as to ask them if the Sorting Hat had ever placed anyone wrong. And then if it had ever placed anyone in a different House just to be difficult.

Lysander had told her that thinking like that was a sure sign that she was meant to be a Slytherin.

It was all very well to say that when you were charming and handsome, a third-year who was extremely popular and who had seven best friends (well, six best friends and one twin brother, but who's counting?)

It was entirely different to reassure yourself about it when it was three AM and you couldn't get to sleep. Lily had already met Aisha in the Slytherin Common Room once, when it was so late that it was early, and only the ghosts were awake.

Aisha didn't realise it, but that had been the best moment of Lily's life at Hogwarts so far. The pair of girls had shared hot chocolate and conversation, deliberately avoiding dangerous topics. And Aisha had confessed that she often found it hard to sleep.

Mind-healers would have said a lot about the fact that Aisha was afraid of dreams. Others would have said it was because she was doing too much brain-work late at night, and her active mind just wouldn't switch off.

Lily really didn't care. She'd found a friend, despite the age gap, and Aisha had a way of making you feel comfortable with approaching her.

The problem wasn't like how it was with Lia. Lia was painfully shy, never offering her own opinion or experience because she didn't expect anyone to be interested. As a result, although nobody minded having her in a group, they'd never miss her if she was gone.

Rose had the opposite problem. She was far too eager to give her point of view, tell someone what to do. Nobody's life or thoughts were as interesting as hers. You could tell from how you'd speak, then she'd say something relating to the conversation ten minutes ago. She'd have spent the whole time you'd been talking, thinking about what she wanted to say.

It didn't make them bad friends. You just had to know how to deal with it - with Lia, you had to press for her thoughts and not mind the occasional silence. With Rose, you had to be strong-minded enough to interrupt, and patient enough to let her talk, now and again.

But in the Potter family, James seemed to have picked up all of the self-belief, and you'd ended up with Albus and Lily. Albus seemed confident enough, but you didn't have to scratch all that deep to end up with a web of insecurities that began with not being as sporty as his brother, passed through not being as smart as his best friend, and ended with not being as brave as his father. Not being as smart as Rose made no difference - nobody was as smart as Rose - but Scorpius did as little work as Albus did, so how was it fair that he got consistently better marks?

Lily Potter, too, only projected a feeling of self-assurance. She was actually very fun to have around – she listened to what you said, asked questions about what you meant, never repeated a secret and could sympathise with whatever problem you had, even if she privately considered it ridiculous. But she constantly feared outstaying her welcome, at least at first. She'd tried to withdraw from socialising with Aisha outside of their twilit sessions – why would her big brother want her around? - but Aisha had been sensible enough to drag her back.

Soon, Rose told Aisha, she would become comfortable enough with them not to fear being an intrusion. But that still left Lily with the problem of no friends among her year-mates, and no way to get them.

Aisha sighed.

"Getting too heavy for you?"

Aisha raised dark eyebrows at Albus. "I thought that cryptic comments were in Lorcan's job description, not yours."

Lorcan grinned, not at all offended. She'd reached the spectating area of the Quidditch stadium. She took a seat on the row of seats next to Albus and Scorpius, with the twins and Lia sat behind them.

"So what's in my job description?" Albus asked.

"Comic relief?" Lysander suggested, his eyes fixed on the pitch below them.

If it had been meant as an insult, it hadn't worked. Albus looked pleased at the idea.

"So what did you mean?" Aisha asked. She didn't have enough patience to try figure it out.

"Lorcan said that you had your 'weight of the world' expression on." Albus explained. "As in, you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders. It's all frowny, and you bite your lip."

She nodded slowly, not allowing herself to smile or roll her eyes. "And how often do I wear this expression?" she asked.

You'd have to be deaf, blind, or stupid to miss the dangerous tone to her voice. Unfortunately, they were boys.

"Oh, quite a lot." Albus said blithely. "You're such a worrier."

"Someone has to be," she muttered. Out of all of them, only she, Lysander and Rose could be counted on to ever think of the consequences of an action. Alice used to, but she seemed to be becoming more reckless with age. Or maybe she'd just got bored of nagging. Even Rose wasn't as good as some - although she was a stickler about anything remotely connected with schoolwork, she had a daring streak that Aisha considered far too Gryffindor for Rose's safety.

"It looked like it went well," Lia's soft voice came from behind her.

Aisha had just had tried out for the Slytherin Quidditch team. Seeker. Tall and strong for her age, she could possibly have been Chaser or Keeper, but she had an agility in the air that nobody in the tryouts had been able to match. She'd consistently caught the Snitch first, although she tried to damp down her confidence.

"They said they'll post the team list tomorrow, on the Common Room notice board. At least I was trying out for Seeker, there were only three of us going for that. There were _nine_ Chasers!"

"There _are _two Chaser spots open," Lysander pointed out.

"And it doesn't take as much brain to be a Chaser," Albus added.

Aisha frowned. "I don't know if that's an insult or not. None of us here are Chasers. Are you saying that there are lots of Slytherins without brains? Or that I _do _have a brain?"

Albus shrugged. "I forgot James wasn't here. He thinks being a Chaser is the most important position on the team."

Aisha snorted. "Hardly! There are three of you. Like Beaters, if you drop a ball then there's someone to pick up the slack."

"I think that's a mixed metaphor," Alice said, as she side-stepped along the rows of seating.

"Alice! Where've you been, you nearly missed it!"

"I know! I was just with Rose while she was getting ready and she was so nervous. It hasn't helped her nerves, not knowing when it was going to be. You know Rose. She likes to prepare for things to the nth degree."

They'd had an unusually blustery autumn, and the Quidditch trials for all Houses had been delayed three times already. By that point, Quidditch Captains (and Heads of Houses) were at each other's throats, or slipping contraband behind people's backs in order to get pitch time.

But they all needed to select new players, and so Professor Samson had suggested this compromise, that all the Houses do their tryouts on the first day with decent weather. Hufflepuff's had actually been a few days ago – they'd won the coin toss to go first, and they'd managed to get it out of the way before the weather again took a turn for the worse.

Gryffindor hadn't needed to select any new players, and wouldn't do so until next year, thankfully. Hufflepuff had only needed one, although they would also need more next year.

Slytherin had drawn the straw to be second, so Aisha had just been down on the pitch. And now it was Rose's turn. The only good part of the short notice trials was the smaller audience. Quidditch tryouts were starting to draw a bigger and bigger audience (usually students craving the start of the season in November, and wanting a quick fix, even if it wasn't as good).

They watched nervously as Rose took to her broom. And then relaxed. Although she couldn't claim the added kudos of putting pure-blood students to shame with instinctive flying like Aisha could, it was clear that Rose had inherited every Weasley gene that ran in the family, giving most of them their unusually good balance and speed on top of a broom, and none of her mother's fear.

Thankfully, she'd also not received her father's stage fright in the mixture (although, in a bizarre twist of genetics, Albus had) and was catching Quaffles with the ease of those who were born to it, and then bred to it through thirteen years of practice.

Scorpius had to admit his relief, if not out loud, that he'd been Sorted into Gryffindor and Rose hadn't. Although he wasn't on the team – not yet, anyway, since a place was only opening up next year. But he'd have stood no chance next to Rose, surely?

She was so good at this that she was nearly showing off. That could be both an advantage and her downfall. Against Gryffindors, for example, this would goad them into hasty moves, which she could easily defend against. But against the more cool-headed Slytherins, or the less proud Hufflepuffs, they might watch and wait for the gaps she inevitably left in her defence.

Scorpius resolved that if he ever got a place on the team, which wasn't certain, despite Al's reassurances, he'd be the first Keeper to save more goals than Rose Weasley.

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**Thank you for reading!**

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	18. An Octopus' Garden

**Thank you for reviewing: silverbirch, Doni, Kitty Bridgeta, Arlath's Daughter and Likewow5556**

**Question - this chapter title caused me some difficulty over whether it is 'Octopus' Garden' or 'Octopus's Garden'.**

**The first should be right - but the second is what is in the song, I think!**

**Also, sorry for a slow update. Windows XP 2010 is an evil virus!**

**As always with me, **_these are thoughts_

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**Chapter 18: An Octopus' Garden**

**September 29th 2019**

"Do you want to be alone?" asked a tentative voice.

Lorcan didn't even open his eyes, just nodded. Then he added. "But I can be alone with you here."

Lily's face, which had fallen at his nod, brightened again. She lay down on the grass by him, sprawled out by the lake in the late September sunshine, the first sunny day that there had been since her arrival at Hogwarts.

A month into her time at Hogwarts, she could say that it definitely wasn't quite what she had hoped. From her brothers' descriptions it had been a place of joy, filled with friends and where everyone was brimming with the milk of human kindness.

Alright, that might have been her reading between the lines slightly. After all, they'd also complained non-stop about strict teachers and mountains of homework. That hadn't been Lily's problem so far, however. She almost hadn't had enough homework, not enough at least to fill up the acres of spare time she had.

She didn't really have any friends to spend that time with, you see.

It wasn't that the other Slytherins were unkind – things had changed enough in three years that a Potter in Slytherin hadn't raised too many eyebrows. And it wasn't like she was the first of the extended Weasley family not to be Sorted into Gryffindor, Louis having been placed in Hufflepuff the previous autumn.

She'd hoped to make friends with all the people in her team of eight, like Albus had. She envied that big group of friends that he had like nothing else. And she, Frank and Hugo had all been in the same boat. But Frank and Hugo had made other friends, and some idiot girl, who'd ended up being a Hufflepuff, had insisted on all the wrong decisions until they ended up lost at sea in the midst of a terrible storm, short on water, food and patience.

The four other girls in her dorm had been mostly friendly, and she'd tried to be so in return. But after a few conversation attempts, they seemed to have run out of topics, and the girls would turn to other friends. Only one girl, Serafina Elliot, had struck Lily as at all unfriendly, in the way that she didn't take part in the early discussions about family but sat on her bed reading a book, speaking only when spoken to.

She could hang around with Hugo's friends, which did include girls. They didn't seem to mind. But maybe they were just too polite to say so to her face. They didn't seem to welcome her with as much enthusiasm as others, and she never seemed to contribute anything to the fun of the moment.

With a sigh, she closed her eyes, wondering if paranoia was a trait of her House, or just one of hers.

At least she didn't have to be paranoid about this silence. She'd known both twins long enough to know that Lorcan, at least, didn't mind silences, and that they were pretty much always comfortable silences. Which was incredibly relaxing. On the other hand, there were no silences with Lysander, since, like Rose, he could keep her chattering away for hours.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed before a shadow fell across her face.

"Afternoon, Lily, Lorcan," a voice greeted. It was Albus. Squinting at him, Lily saw that it was also Scorpius (of course, they never seemed to be separate), Aisha and Lia.

They sat down, too comfortable with each other to need to ask permission (Lily felt another stab of envy) and started a brief conversation with each other about something. Aisha smiled across at her from her prone position.

Aisha, along with Lysander, had both been very sweet about looking after her in Slytherin, telling her that she basically had family in her House, even if they did have different surnames.

They started up a conversation, Aisha somehow remembering to ask after Lily's Pygmy Puff, which had been pining after her when they last spoke.

After a while, Lily noticed Aisha fanning herself. The older girl always seemed to be in extremes of temperature. She shivered when it was only a little bit cold, and boiled when it wasn't really that warm.

Calling her out on it, Aisha nodded. "It's really annoying. When I'm cold, I think how wonderful it would be to be surrounded by warmth, and how clothes never seem to keep you warm in the right way. But when I'm hot, it's just too unpleasant. All sticky, and my hair just gets in the way."

"But you must be happy with one of them," Lily protested. She herself loved hot temperatures. Sticky, yes, but something about them just seemed to sink into her bones and thrill her.

"No. I'm only properly happy with the temperature when I'm swimming, or flying. Then it's always perfect, whether it's because of a breeze in my face or because I'm just blissfully warm. That's the best thing about swimming, that feeling of being enveloped in comfort."

Albus, who had been listening, laughed. "I think that's just you," he remarked. "You're part fish. More happy in three dimensions than two."

"We do live in a 3D world," Aisha retorted. She eyed the lake longingly and, with a groan, heaved herself up.

"You're not going to go for a swim, are you?" Lily asked, shocked.

"Wouldn't put it past her," Scorpius muttered.

"No," Aisha reassured them. "Just splashing my face with-what?"

"With water?" Lily suggested sarcastically. The others laughed and she felt a glow of delight at causing it.

"What's that?" Aisha asked, entranced by something in the lake.

Lorcan was the first to go to her side. "What is it?" Lysander called, too exhausted to follow.

"Wow," he breathed, not particularly helpfully.

Curious now, if only to know what it was that held the attention of the very different Aisha and Lorcan, Lily followed them.

She stared through the water, but couldn't see a single thing. Realising this, Lorcan took hold of her chin and tilted her head slightly, so that she was on a direct line of sight with the oddest creatures she'd ever seen.

Well, the second oddest. Thestrals were probably odder.

They were like…paintbrushes? With thick bristles. And moving under their own power. Suddenly it dawned on her what she was seeing, and she laughed at how slow she'd been.

"Babies," she breathed. "The Giant Squid had babies."

"Woah. They're ugly," Albus said beside her, making her jump.

"They're not!" Lorcan protested. "Look at how they move, it's amazing."

It was oddly graceful, the way that all those tentacles could move with such flexibility, seemingly independently, and then suddenly pulse together with impressive single-mindedness.

"So the Giant Squid's a girl?" Aisha wondered.

"Then who's the father?" Lia asked. All of the others had come to join them now, leaning over the lake edge.

"Professor Corner?" Albus suggested, making them all laugh. Professor Corner was very gangly, all legs and arms and no width to him, something which was made more obvious by how much he gestured.

"Look!" Scorpius gasped, pointing at something further out. They all raised their heads to look, and saw a great tentacle, reaching out of the lake.

"She wants her kids," Albus muttered.

"And you're in her way, mate," Scorpius joked.

The two of them stepped back, followed by Lysander and Aisha. Lia followed, with a last glance at the baby squid. _Squidlets? Squiddies? _wondered Lily. She and Lorcan were still watching them, as they searched for food, catching tadpoles and minnows with stunning speed.

They were amazing, but common sense prevailed and Lily pulled Lorcan back just as the tentacle smacked down into the water right in front of them, a clear warning and possibly a threat. It arched protectively around the children, and Lorcan nodded gravely.

"My apologies, Ma'am." He turned to go, Lily trailing after him.

_Well, _she thought. _You didn't expect that when you came down to the lake for a break, did you? _

Another part of her smiled at the unintentional rhyme, and she rolled her eyes.

_Magnificent sight that we've just seen, and _that's _all you can think. _She wondered.

_You're talking to your thoughts again._

_Actually, my thoughts are talking to my thoughts. _

Sighing, she shook her head. _I am crazy, _she thought.

_No argument here, _her thoughts replied.

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**x**


	19. Everything's For Sale

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**Chapter 19: Everything's For Sale**

**21st October 2019 - The First Hogsmeade Trip**

The weather was typical of late October – wet, windy and quite cold – but that wouldn't stop any of the third-years going on their first permitted trip to Hogsmeade. Alice, of course, had gone before. Sometimes it could be annoying, how much of the Hogwarts stuff she already knew – she'd known to avoid the fifth door on the second floor corridor on Thursdays, and that there was a trick step on the Astronomy Tower staircase if there was a full moon long before the rest of them had even mastered the skill of working out which staircases were about to swing around and prevent you from getting to your destination.

She was the only one, however. Although Rose, Scorpius, Albus and Lia could technically have gone (the twins didn't really spend enough time in the country to be able to stop off in shopping villages), their parents had either wanted to save the excitement of that first Hogsmeade trip for their time with school friends (Rose and Lia), or spare their son the pointing and staring that inevitably followed them (Albus and Scorpius).

It was barely a minute past nine o'clock when the chattering stream of students began to head for the Hogwarts gates. They'd had to get up very early – far too early in Albus and Rose's opinion. Neither was a morning person.

It was unfortunate, really, that both were best friends with morning people. Alice was awake, dressed and usually catching up on work that she hadn't done the night before whilst Rose was repeatedly pressing Snooze buttons on magical alarms, even more annoying and insistent than their Muggle counterparts.

Scorpius, who loved nothing more than being on his broom to see the dawn come, had on more than one occasion accidentally woken a grumpy Albus as he returned through the dormitory window, especially when he did so clumsily (it was a lot more difficult than it sounded), letting in cold blasts of air or even rain.

Lia sympathised, but wished they would stop complaining. Although she hated mornings as much as the pair of them, her dislike manifested itself in a sulkier silence than usual, and less polite answers to innocent questions. Not that many people noticed.

Aisha and Scorpius took over the job of waking up Rose and Albus, whilst the twins lagged slightly behind, discussing what to get their parents for Christmas. Alice, recognising the symptoms of early-morning grumpiness in Lia, kept up an excited babble of chatter with her all the way to the village. It was soothing, as it only required a few words of answer.

Eventually the three most awake people managed to gentle or insult (depending on their methods) the other three out of their bad moods, and it was eight rather excited children who entered the charming little town.

Aisha had only had experience of Diagon Alley as another wizarding centre. She had to say that she preferred it to Hogsmeade. Hogsmeade was a bit too rural for her tastes. She was a city girl by preference, and although several of the shops looked amazing, it was people-watching that she most loved to do whilst shopping, and people were in short supply here, other than Hogwarts students.

_Of course_, she reminded herself, trying to be fair, "_people probably avoid Hogsmeade if it's a day that Hogwarts students visit."_

"I can't believe you're talking about Christmas presents already?" Albus cut in to the twins' conversation, which Rose had also joined.

"Just because we're organised," Rose retorted waspishly.

"Plus parents are so hard to buy for," Lysander added.

"I don't tend to get mine anything," Albus admitted.

Alice stared at him, astonished. "Why not?" she asked. "They get you things. And you give presents to your siblings, right? "

"Yeah, but for parents I'd only have to ask them for money to buy them presents. It's a bit weird."

The logic of this was undeniable for a Ravenclaw, so she let it drop.

"Don't you get pocket money?" Rose pointed out.

"That's for sweets," Albus told her. "Speaking of which.."

"Honeydukes?" Aisha asked. She didn't have much of a sweet tooth, but Lia, who did, had told her all about the famed sweets of Honeydukes.

"Definitely," Scorpius agreed.

They walked along the street, heading directly for the famed sweetshop. On the way, however, they spotted Merlin's Menagerie and Alice paused. She'd been meaning to get an owl ever since starting at Hogwarts. She didn't really need one for school time, but it was getting annoying to have to walk up to the Post Office every time that she wanted to contact her friends over the holidays.

"What about Honeydukes?" Rose asked, impatience in her eyes.

"You go ahead," she told them.

Rose paused, not wanting to leave her friend alone, but wanting to get sweets. Albus frowned, the same problem plaguing him.

"I'll wait with you," Scorpius offered. Lia nodded in agreement.

Albus and Lysander didn't wait for confirmation from Alice, but set off along the street. With a rueful smile and a wave, Rose and Lorcan followed, Aisha only a step behind them.

When they entered, Honeydukes was quite empty – it may be popular, but it was also before ten o'clock in the morning, and sweet-eating at that time was a little unusual, if enjoyable.

They spent longest over the Pick-And-Mix section. It was expensive, but it offered them the greatest chance to try what they wanted. Lysander worked his charm on the lady at the counter, who was persuaded to give them the deal of eight boxes of mixed sweets for the price of six.

Whether the generosity was due to Albus and Rose's obvious resemblance of their parents or Lysander's charming words, it was impossible to tell.

Albus also bought a box of sweets for Lily – Sugar Butterflies, her favourite. Although she was hiding it well, Lily was having a hard time adjusting to being the first Slytherin Weasley, and being at Hogwarts.

They were just finishing paying when the other three arrived, Alice carrying a beautiful owl, entirely black in colour.

"That must have been expensive," Aisha remarked. "I've never seen an owl like it."

"She was worth it," Alice said, combing her new bird's feathers with her fingers. The creature hooted and reached back to give her a friendly nip with her beak.

"No," Alice told her firmly.

"Alice!" the woman behind the counter cried. "My, you've changed."

Alice smiled and hurried over to give her a hug. "Auntie Mary!" she said.

Rose looked surprised, no doubt knowing that neither of Alice's parents had any siblings, and Alice hastened to explain. "My mum's cousin," she said. "My closest family on her side."

"Hannah stayed with us until she got her job at the Leaky Cauldron," Mary explained. Her words trailed off as she saw who had followed Alice into the shop.

Scorpius could feel the stare being directed at him as soon as he walked in, and he could tell that Rose and Aisha, at least, had noticed it too.

"Scorpius," Albus began, oblivious to the undercurrent of tension that had filled the room.

"Can I help you?" Mary cut in, her tone very hostile and, to Scorpius, very familiar. He'd heard it from hundreds of shopkeepers, directed at any of the members of his family.

Alice and Rose's mouths were open, both of them clearly trying to think of a way to explain things whilst causing minimal embarrassment to their friends.

Aisha, however, was too fast for them. "We got you some sweets," she cried, grabbing three of the bags and heading in the direction of the door. "Both of you, Mary was nice enough to give us a deal......"

Their voices trailed behind them as she swept out of the shop, Lia following. Scorpius could have chosen to stay, but he had no deep wish to cause a scene, so joined the two girls as they went to stand outside.

"He's my friend, Mary." Alice said quietly.

The shopkeeper frowned at her. "And what do your Mum and Dad think of you making friends with Slytherins and Death Eater scum like that."

"Scorpius isn't even a Slytherin," Rose butted in.

"I am, though," Lysander's gaze was cool and grey as it fixed on the woman.

"But you're Luna Lovegood's son," she said disbelievingly.

"The Houses have changed." Alice told her. "The Sorting has changed. I'm a Ravenclaw, after all."

"Oh, I always knew that you would be. Always with your nose in a book, you were. But that's just mixing between the three good Houses. Slytherin's….different."

"Not any more, it's not. We're one school now. Irrespective of being four different Houses."

When they rejoined Scorpius and the two girls in the fresh air, he didn't seem to be in a bad mood.

Alice apologised for her aunt, but he waved it away.

"Her attitude isn't really that unusual. Not outside Hogwarts." He didn't mention that it was sometimes like that _inside _Hogwarts, at least until somebody got to know him.

Lorcan, however, seemed to be able to read his mind. "At least it's when they get to know you that they like you, not that they get to know you and then they dislike you."

Albus and Scorpius frowned as they puzzled through this statement, and then Scorpius grinned in acknowledgement.

Three shops later, and after no more incidents, they were eating their way through the sweets. They had to explain most of them to someone, although Aisha was relieved to find that even Rose and Alice didn't know everything about the wizarding world, at least not when it came to sweets.

"Alice," Rose asked suddenly. "Why did your mother have to stay with Mary and her family?"

Albus and Scorpius looked surprised. Now that they thought of it, the circumstances were very unusual. But it hadn't occurred to them to ask.

"My mother's family was all killed except her mother in the First Wizarding War," Alice answered, her tone deceptively casual. "And then, when she was in her sixth year, her mother was killed. She had to go stay with her cousins because she had nowhere else to go. When the War was over, she got a live-in job helping Tom at the Leaky Cauldron as a cook. Neither of them had any family, and they got closer until he finally left her the Cauldron in his will."

None of them had anything to say to that.

In actual fact, the story wasn't that unusual. The only real difference was that neither Alice's mother nor her father had any parents in a state to care for them. But Lia's mother had lost her sister and her mother to a storm created by Death Eaters having some 'fun', whilst Dennis Creevey had lost not only his brother but eventually, as a direct result, any close relationship with his parents.

Luna was now an orphan too, although unusual in the fact that neither of her parents had been lost to the War, her mother dying in the accident beforehand and her father succumbing to cancer only a few years ago.

Draco hadn't actually lost his father to death, but the separation of twenty years in Azkaban meant that Scorpius had never met him until last Christmas, since Draco refused to take his son into that place. Astoria had been all but disowned by her parents for the years between the War and her marriage to Draco as a direct result of her stance in that War.

And it was only because of the Weasley side of things that Rose and Albus had legions of extended family. It wasn't unusual for the spouses of the Weasley children to be absorbed into the family, including Angelina, who had lost her mother, the only parent she'd ever known, in the war. It was maybe the reason that Percy and Audrey were a little more distant than the rest of the Weasley children - she still had another family to return to, and Percy may well have felt more comfortable in the home of Audrey's Muggle parents, a dignified upper middle-class couple with no other children.

Harry was the prime example of how they adopted children, given that he'd been part of the family almost since he had meant them. But of course he had no biological siblings and no parents and Hermione, though her parents had survived the War, had never regained a close relationship with them. They'd not truly trusted their daughter after her well-meaning tampering in their memories, though they'd forgiven her, and had remained in Australia even when she'd returned the memories. Rose had only visited them three times, once travelling on a Muggle plane. That experience had been amusing, if only because of Hermione's irritation at Ron for his loud comments every few minutes about how anyone could trust some big metal bird to stay up in the sky, or how Hermione could feel safe flying here but not on a broomstick!

Only Aisha had both sets of grandparents intact.

So they walked in silence for a few moments until Alice broke it.

"What's everyone wearing for Halloween?"

Lia shrugged. "I still think they should do it how the Muggles do," she sighed.

"Dressing up does sound fun," Scorpius said wistfully.

"Even better when you can use magic to enhance your costume," Aisha agreed.

"Well, just because we can't dress up doesn't mean that we can't do some Trick or Eat," Albus said, gazing into the window of the next shop – Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.

"Trick or Treat," Rose corrected, but her cousin was no longer there to hear her.

Sighing, she followed him into the shop. Like any other branch of Wheezes, it was stupendous and overwhelming. Right in front of them stood a massive bubble-blowing ring, whose bubbles were catching various people's heads, including Albus.

He mouthed something, but none of them could hear him through the Bubble.

"There's an improvement," Lysander joked.

The bubble suddenly popped and they could hear the end of Al's sentence.

"…tastes like caramel in there."

"Every Flavour Bubbles?" Alice wondered, picking up a bottle from the display stand.

"Sounds even more risky than Every Flavour Beans," Lysander commented.

"But that's the fun,"

"Of a Weasley's Wizarding Wheeze."

"Someone,"

"Always draws,"

"The short straw."

"Hi Molly, hi Lucy," Rose said, turning to greet her sixth-year cousins. "Don't you ever get sick of this shop?"

Both of them looked appalled. "Get sick of this?" Molly asked, waving an arm over the whole area.

"It's paradise," Lucy agreed.

Laden down with packages, but somehow miraculously avoiding being tricked by either twin, the group made their way to the Three Broomsticks for lunch.

It was a bit of a squeeze to get them all around the table, but nobody really minded. What with all the Hogwarts students and Professors, it was also quite difficult to hear anything. So they just shouted, with their mouth full if they were Albus and after kicking Albus for that (then forgetting and doing the same themselves) if they were Rose.

After the warmth of the food, the Butterbeer and the room, it was unpleasant to go back into the drizzle outside, and they quickly agreed that they'd done enough shopping. It was time to go back.

On their way, however, they passed a little shop which they hadn't entered on their way there. Its windows were filled with curiosities and decorations, and several of them insisted on entering. Scorpius because it seemed like the perfect place to get his parents their Christmas gifts and most of the others because they liked the look of the things.

The proprietor looked alarmed as Scorpius, who was last to go in, let the door shut behind him. It was the sort of shop where 'breakages must be paid for' signs lined the walls, and so crowded that one felt frightened to turn around, especially if you were a tall and quite clumsy teenage boy.

They scattered out, other than Albus, who stayed frozen in a corner, knowing that he would break something if he moved anywhere.

The girls exclaimed over first one thing and then another – a beautifully engraved Pensieve, a fountain made of sparks rather than water. In the end, Aisha ended up unable to tear herself away from a delicately carved and stunningly expensive set of Wizarding Chess figures. Rose had taught her the game, and the two of them spent many evenings together playing it – none of the others but Scorpius, who could defeat Aisha two times out of three yet still never conquer Rose, could come close to beating either of them – but Rose had a significant advantage over Aisha, given that they always had to use her Chess set.

But she didn't have enough money remaining (indeed, she probably hadn't set out with enough money to buy _this_ to begin with) and had to turn away, not noticing the look that Albus and Rose exchanged, nor the latter's murmured words to the shopkeeper to reserve it until they could return with enough money to buy it as a shared Christmas gift.

Alice flitted from one beautiful thing to another. She loved these shops, and their beautiful things, but it was impossible, as always, to make a choice between them. In the end, she bought a set of spice bottles for her mother, charmed to recognise the spice inside them and magically sealed to keep their freshness and flavour. And thus felt justified in buying the little turreted box for herself, which let out a puff of scent every few minutes but would never run dry.

Browsing the shelves, Rose saw something that her best friend hadn't. It looked like a jewellery box, which could be coded to match your wand. But it wasn't. It was a diary. Not many people knew that Alice kept a diary, that she had done almost since learning to write. It was a refuge for her real self, any part of herself that she didn't feel comfortable showing. She didn't like writing it in front of people, and once, when their dorm-mates had found it, she'd denied that it was hers. This would get rid of that problem. Alice would have no issue with owning a jewellery box.

Lia knew exactly what to get. She wanted to buy two – one for her, one for her mother – but didn't have enough funds. As with Aisha, of course, someone (Alice in this case) picked up on that, and also bought an extra copy of her item. It was a little tree, made of bent wire and chipped crystal. But unlike the Muggle versions, this tree grew, blossomed and shed its leaves each year with the seasons.

The twins clubbed together with their item, also a gift. It was only a notebook in appearance, although embroidered so as to be a very beautiful notebook. But it was as big as you needed it to be and somehow also a camera. Using a Charm you could capture the image of any creature you wanted, and then add the notes on that creature beneath its picture.

Entirely satisfied with their purchases, the group set off back to the castle.

**

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See, the only thing that writing this chapter has done is make me wish that I was a wizard, because I want magic!**

**I hope you liked it - please let me know!**

**That's a pretty please with cherries _and _whipped cream on top, by the way. (Unless you're lactose intolerant).**


	20. I'd Stand Up and Punch Their Mouth

**Thank you for reviewing: Arlath's Daughter, Doni, silverbirch, Likewow556, Kitty Bridgeta and Lottie1122**

**Reminder of the Weasley family mentioned in this chapter  
****Roxanne Weasley, George's daughter, Gryffindor  
Molly and Lucy Weasley, Percy's twins, Gryffindor  
James Potter, Harry and Ginny's eldest son, Gryffindor**

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**Chapter 20: I'd Stand Up and Punch Their Mouth**

**November 20th - An Encounter With Bullies**

Albus strolled down the path that led back to the castle from the Quidditch pitch. It had been a good training session, as far as these things went – things were a bit more relaxed now that they had won their first match, against Hufflepuff. Albus was glad that Hufflepuff had been their first opponents – with Rose on the Ravenclaw team and Aisha on the Slytherin one, Hufflepuff was the only House where he wasn't facing one of his friends directly.

Ravenclaw and Slytherin had already played their match against each other, Slytherin winning by the narrow margin of twenty points when Aisha caught the Snitch.

He tucked his broom further under his arm, only to have it slip from his grasp and roll down the bank towards the lake. Desperately, he ran after it, diving to grab hold just before it hit the water. He breathed a sigh of relief, and rolled onto his back, rubbing his ribs. The dive had knocked the wind out of him, and he might even have a bruise there tomorrow.

It was worth it though – brooms were never the same after being submerged, something he'd had to tell Aisha before she tried to use hers in the lake – Merlin knows why, since it was currently at glacial temperatures.

He heard a humming, and smiled to himself. That was Lorcan – they hadn't arranged to meet, but it often ended up like that. Lorcan was usually already here, the grass by the lake being one of his favourite spots.

"Been talking to the monsters, freak?"

The unfamiliar voice made him pause. Albus sighed – it sounded like some bully was attacking a first-year, and knowing Lorcan, he'd get in the middle. Not that Albus was any different – he only wanted to get it dealt with before Scorpius came down to meet him like they had arranged, since Scorpius was even worse than Albus when it came to that sort of 'foolhardy Gryffindor heroics', as Rose would say.

"They're not monsters," came the firm reply. A frown spread on Al's face – that sounded like….he painfully raised himself on his elbows, to see what was taking place.

"What else would stick around you?" The first boy sneered again. Al could see him now – he was a Gryffindor, vaguely familiar. In the year above them, or so Albus thought.

Flanking him were three others – another two Gryffindors, both blonde, and a Hufflepuff.

Lorcan wasn't really facing them, more gazing abstractedly at a tree in the distance, an empty bag at his feet. Albus recognised that bag – Lorcan always took it with him when he went to visit the Thestrals. Albus had been with him a few times – like Rose and the twins, he too could see them thanks to the unique goodbye with which Xenophilius had chosen to die.

"Not exactly surrounded by friends, are you?" another Gryffindor boy, the largest of the four, added.

"Now that's just explaining what you said before," Lorcan said airily. "If you have to explain an insult, it's not very good, is it?"

The boys scowled, clearly discomfited by Lorcan's lack of reaction.

"Even your own twin doesn't hardly speak to you," the Hufflepuff boy said to Lorcan.

Lorcan remained silent. Albus wondered if this was a sign that that barb had really hurt, or if it was just part of Lorcan being Lorcan.

"Some sort of Gryffindor, you are," the first boy added, tossing dark hair arrogantly. "Where's your bravery now, loser?"

"Where's yours?" yelled an angry voice. "What sort of Gryffindor gangs up four-on-one. Especially when you're older than him."

It was Scorpius. Albus tried to struggle to his feet, but his muscles were refusing to work.

"And I don't think this sort of blind loyalty is what the Hat means," he told the Hufflepuff scathingly.

"Like you'd know anything about loyalty, Death Eater," the brown-haired leader of the group snarled.

"How unoriginal you are," Lorcan commented. "Loser, freak, Death Eater. Come up with new material, please."

"How about some hexes?" the third Gryffindor snapped, speaking for the first time and pulling his wand from the pocket of his robes.

"Oh, that's impressive, "Scorpius scoffed. "When I'm on my own, you feel brave enough not to use a wand, but when you're only twice our number, you pull it out."

Albus went cold as he realised what the words meant. _Scorpius has been bullied by these idiots before. And he didn't tell me?_

"Well, I won't have to explain any scratches this way," he snapped. "Petrificus totalus!"

Scorpius stiffened and fell to the floor like a board. Deliberately, the third boy stepped forward and kicked him. "Nothing you don't deserve, scum," he told him, a grin on his face.

Several things happened at once. Albus leapt to his feet, not bothering to draw his wand and ran for the boy. Lorcan casually drew his own wand, and, presumably seeing Al's target, Petrified the largest of the three Gryffindors.

"What in all wizardry is going on here?" came a female voice, this time definitely coming from the direction of the Quidditch pitch. It was Roxanne.

Lorcan glanced at her – Albus didn't have time to spare. The boy he had tackled wasn't going down easily, and the Hufflepuff had jumped on them too. The leader wasn't moving, presumably thanks to the wand that Lorcan had pointed at him.

"Levicorpus!" Roxanne cried.

The Hufflepuff rose into the air by his heels, as did Albus and the third Gryffindor. With a flick of his wand, James separated them.

"Let me down," Albus cried angrily.

"Promise not to jump on him again?" Roxanne asked. James appeared behind her, frowning at the entire scene.

"He deserves it," Albus muttered.

"Al…." James said warningly.

"Fine," Albus sighed, and with a flick of his wand, he was freed.

"What about those two?" James asked, jerking a thumb towards the two dangling third-years.

Roxanne shrugged. "I heard most of what they were saying. It's nothing that _they _don't deserve," she said, casting them a hard glare.

"Nobody deserves to be mistreated," Lorcan said quietly.

Roxanne sighed. "You make a good conscience," she told him, and the two boys crumpled to a heap on the floor.

"What happened?" James asked.

Albus had hurried over to Scorpius and was trying, with little success, to end the Petrificus Totalus.

"These four were being annoying to me," Lorcan said, his expression far more serene than his feelings. "Then Scorpius came and defended me. But they attacked him, even more than me, which is when Albus came out of nowhere. Then you arrived."

"Al- oh, for heaven's sake. Finite incantatum!" Roxanne sighed, waving her wand towards Scorpius, who was instantly freed. "Anything to add?"

"Um, I was catching my broom when I heard them come and start insulting Lorcan. Then it was like he said – Scorpius turned up and they turned on him. And from what they said, it wasn't the first ti-" he caught his friend's urgent stare. "Um, the first person they'd bullied," he ended lamely.

"Potter, Weasley would you mind?" It was the Hufflepuff, who was gesturing lamely at the fourth member of the group, who was still Petrified.

"I would, actually," James snapped. Roxanne nodded in agreement.

"What?" the leader demanded. "You're siding with a Malfoy over your own House?"

"He _is _my own House," Roxanne retorted.

"And I'm siding with my brother's best friend, and the truth." James said coldly. He cast a look at the Petrified Gryffindor. "??????? It surprises me that he's here with you idiots. Maybe this'll teach him a lesson."

"Actually, it'll teach you all a lesson when I report this," Roxanne told them. "It's my duty as a Prefect."

Horror filled the faces of all of the boys.

"You can't!" Scorpius protested.

"Professor Longbottom will understand," Roxanne said soothingly.

"I dunno, Roxanne. I don't think that's necessary. If I know my brother, he won't let these idiots get away with bullying anyone anywhere near him." Albus inserted.

"If we mobilise the Weasleys, it'll be fine," Lorcan said.

Albus snorted with laughter. "Sorry," he said. "Just the idea of our family being an army…it actually fits quite well, if you've ever seen a Christmas dinner at the Burrow."

Roxanne nodded reluctantly. "If we're all watching you- and I promise, we will be watching you – then I suppose you'll be pretty harmless." she allowed, glaring at the four bullies. "But if I even hear of you hurting anyone, not just anyone in my family, not just anyone in my House, _anyone_, then I would be begging me to tell Professor Longbottom." Her eyes flashed dangerously. "Or I'll let Lucy and Molly at you. With my Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes store discount."

It wasn't an idle threat, and despite being very tempted, the boys agreed not to let Lysander or any of the girls know. All of them winced from imagining Rose's outburst of fury, which would pale in comparison to the cold revenge which Lysander would exact. Alice might be more subtle, but no less painful, and Lia would be at them to tell her their thoughts every second, horrified that she hadn't recognised and helped alleviate any sadness going on in the life of her friends. Aisha....none of them knew what Aisha might do. She always seemed so friendly, but Lorcan suspected that she had depths that were as calculating and ruthless as the most hardened Slytherin.

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	21. This Is The Straw, Final Straw

**Thank you for reviewing - Likewow5556, Kitty Bridgeta, silverbirch, Arlath's Daughter, Doni and susiipie!**

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**Chapter 21: This Is The Straw, Final Straw**

**December 21st - Scorpius goes home for Christmas**

It was the third time they had travelled home for Christmas, but they had been on the Hogwarts Express many more times, and the train was becoming familiar.

Actually, it wasn't the third time for them all. Aisha was going home with Lia for the first time, and Alice was joining Rose and her family. The twins were having Christmas with their Scamander relatives, Albus was celebrating with his family and Scorpius with his.

If celebrating could be used to describe the situation, something Scorpius wasn't certain on. He'd stayed at Hogwarts over Easter, and avoided his home as much as possible over the summer, fighting hard to hold his temper and his tongue every time that he did have to share meals with his family. He'd had a few letters from his grandfather in the same vein as the first one he'd received, but he'd ignored them, not even bothering to wonder who was reporting back on his activities.

Now, unfortunately, he couldn't avoid spending Christmas with them. Even more, he didn't want to. He missed his parents. He missed his grandmother. In fact, he even slightly missed his grandfather. Lucius had shown himself to be a witty conversationalist, excelling in the barbs and comments that he would have expected from Aisha. He was also a flawless chess player – and Scorpius would try to practice chess whenever he could. He'd considered himself good before coming to Hogwarts, and could still beat every other Gryffindor he knew. But he'd yet to win a game against Rose, despite spending every journey on the Hogwarts Express trying.

The problem with playing chess with Lucius was that every conversation with him held the risk that it would turn into some rant against Professor Adams, the government or the 'Mudbloods' all of whom Lucius seemed to hold directly responsible for everything wrong in the world, Professor Adams having earned his wrath for her alteration of the Sorting system.

It had been his grandmother who had picked him up this time. Neither of his parents could always take the time off work to collect him, especially since Draco always insisted on having **September 1****st**free so that he could see Scorpius off. They'd travelled home by Side-Along Apparition, disappearing from the platform with a wave at his friends. Narcissa merely inclined her head imperiously at the Potters and Weasleys, despite her grandson's enthusiastic goodbye – old habits died hard.

They'd reappeared on the doorstep of their home, which Scorpius saw with a happy eye. He loved his home very much. When it was cold, fires always burnt in the fireplaces and when it was hot, doors and windows always swung open to catch a breeze. There was barely a corner of the house that wasn't lit by large, bright lamps and he considered the gardens surrounding it to be beyond compare, even better than Hogwarts, despite being smaller and lacking a forest or a lake.

Like Rose, and unlike Albus or Aisha, he preferred the country to the city, and though the Malfoys had a house in London, it didn't compare to here.

Sighing contentedly, Scorpius entered the house. Instantly the House-Elf appeared to take his trunk up to his room. Scorpius followed her, collapsing onto his bed with a sigh. Although not a contented sigh, as before. There's nothing like getting back to your own bed, but this wasn't his own bed any more. His bed was the one next to Al's and opposite Lorcan's, the one high in a tower. This was almost exactly the same – and impossibly different.

Bored already, he dragged his broom out of his trunk and set out on a flight, despite the bitterly cold wind.

Hours later, windswept and with cheeks that were reddened from the cold, he came back in, only to see his father's cloak on the stand. He let out a laugh of joy, and rushed in to the sitting room where his parents spent most of their hours at home together.

"Dad!" he cried, hugging his father for all he was worth.

"Scorpius," Draco beamed. "I wanted to let you finish your flying before saying hello."

Scorpius grinned back. "I might need it. Al says that Fred, who's Keeper at the moment, is leaving next year, so I can try out for the position!"

A barely audible noise came from across the room, and Scorpius turned to see Lucius also seated in an armchair with a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ held in front of him.

"Merry Christmas, Grandfather," Scorpius said awkwardly. Things were always so formal with his grandfather. Narcissa was grandma, his parents were 'mum' and 'dad', but the very idea of calling Lucius "Grandpa," was enough to make him grin.

"What are you smiling at?" Lucius demanded.

"Nothing, Grandfather," Scorpius replied dutifully.

"That's really quite impossible," Lucius drawled. "I'll believe that you can be thinking of nothing. Merlin knows that's what teenagers normally do, though I expected better from my grandson. But it's difficult to smile at nothing unless one is floating in a void."

Scorpius smiled again, a genuine smile that warmed Draco's heart even as he smirked.

"But what else would I expect of a Keeper," Lucius continued. "You realise a Seeker is the optimum position in a Quidditch game to obtain the most control over the outcome?"

"I don't really want to control the game, Grandfather. I just want to have fun playing it."

"And win, of course."

"Yes. But that's not the most important. After all, if we win then Rose or Lia or Aisha loses."

As soon as he said it, Scorpius knew he'd made a mistake. He'd forgotten not to mention Aisha's name. Or even Lia's. But as his grandfather raised a single eyebrow and looked at him, Scorpius could feel his anger rising.

"And I presume that this 'Aisha' is not the Mudblood with whom I requested you to cease all interaction?"

"No, she's not 'the Mudblood.'" Scorpius gestured with air quotes, his face screwing up with emotion. "She's my friend. She's one of the most popular girls in our year. She's smart, she's kind and she's not someone who you can just sum up and dismiss based on one word!

"Are you in love with this girl or something? Scorpius, be very aware that I will not tolerate-"

"I don't care what you'll tolerate! I don't care what you believe. I don't care that you fought for her type to be exterminated because there's no such _thing _as her type! You followed a madman and destroyed our family's name because he pretended to have the same, ridiculous opinions as you! All Voldemort wanted was power!"

When he saw his grandfather flinch at the name, he felt a tiny spark of victory. Followed by a deep flush of shame at gaining pleasure from causing pain to an old man, set in his ways. '_But he followed those ways when he was young, and they were still wrong then' _he reminded himself.

He'd have felt more guilt if he'd been facing his father, and had seen Draco's simultaneous flinch at the Dark Lord's name. But he'd forgotten his father was even in the room – although not for long.

Staring at Lucius now, Scorpius was at a loss for what to say. How did someone convey that they loved someone and hated everything they stood for, all without exploding?

"Well, you _are _a Gryffindor," Lucius sneered. "Displaying all your weaknesses so openly."

"They aren't weaknesses, Father. They're emotions. And I'm proud of my son for being able to show them off. And I'll be grateful if you would stop trying to change that about him."

Scorpius felt his father's hand on his shoulder. Restrained, hardly passionate – but demonstrating his pride, love and support all the same.

"You disagree with me?" Lucius queried. "Disappointing, Draco."

"No, Father. You are disappointing. Disappointing that you cannot learn to adapt in the world today. Where is your Slytherin cunning and ambition? Do you think you'll get anywhere by closing your eyes and pretending nothing is different. You're acting like a child who sticks his fingers in his ears to block out the bad news."

"I am doing what I must to protect my family," Lucius said indignantly.

"That's what you did in the War. I know. But now? There isn't any danger from…..from Voldemort now."

"I am entitled to my own beliefs."

"Of course. But this is my house now and those lies are not welcome here. So hold whatever beliefs you choose, but kindly do not attempt to force them, or any of the codes of decorum in which you place your faith, onto Scorpius."

The two men held each other's gaze for several seconds. Lucius was the first to look away, although he tried to mask it by raising his chin instead.

"Good luck with this new leaf you have turned over, Draco. I hope that the wizarding world will be quick to welcome you back with open arms and forgiveness. Somehow, I doubt that very much."

He turned to Scorpius. "Perhaps you have made the most intelligent choices," he allowed. "Perhaps there is some Slytherin cunning in you somewhere."

With that said, he departed.

"Congratulations, Scorpius." Draco murmured. "That might be the nearest thing to an apology that anyone will ever extract from your Grandfather."

Scorpius was trembling slightly, either the after-effect of the confrontation or the winter cold finally kicking in. Of course, he was in a room lit with a roaring fire.

"You said the most," he replied.

"But you were what got it started. Your courage, your emotions, your notions of fair play…. You do know, don't you? That I am so proud of you. Of your school marks, of your flying, of who you are."

Scorpius looked at his father, not entirely certain what to say to this. Although the pronouncement wasn't unusual. Although rarely said at the right time, Draco just burst out with this every now and again. At last Scorpius remembered something he'd thought about a few months ago, when the wind had woken him at three AM, as it had a habit of doing at Hogwarts, and he'd lain awake for several hours, until finally waking Albus up so that they could break curfew rather than leave him alone with his thoughts.

"Then you should be proud of yourself. Everything I am, it's down to you and Mum. You made me who I am, so if you like what you created…"

Draco laughed. "I love what I created," he told Scorpius. "And Mum does too."

"I wondered when you'd get around to me," a dry voice mentioned from the background.

"Mum!" "Tori!" two male voices exclaimed, delightedly…and guiltily.

"How long have you been there?" Scorpius asked, worried that he was about to get a telling off for being so rude to his grandfather.

"Long enough to be able to agree with my husband and say that, without doubt, you are the most impressive thing we could ever have made. Even better than a vase." Astoria replied.

"Or a cushion?" Draco enquired innocently.

To Scorpius' complete bewilderment, his mother blushed – well, she went slightly pinker at the cheeks, barely visible unless you knew what to look for. But it was the equivalent of Rose's tomato-red ears, and it was utterly inexplicable. As was the evil smirk on his father's face.

"Oh, bring that up, would you?" Astoria said, stepping closer to him in what could only be described as a predatory walk.

"I would," Draco replied.

"Then you might want to borrow some of your son's Gryffindor courage."

Scorpius eased away from his father's hold just in time to escape his mother catching him along with his father in her embrace. Rolling his eyes, he escaped the room too, leaving his parents to their antics. '_In love with Aisha', _he remembered, barely suppressing a grimace. '_If love makes you act like that, I think I'll stay away from girls in _that _way, thanks.'_

At thirteen years old, remembering that some of his friends were girls was a difficult feat. And looking at them in a romantic way was beyond him, for now.

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**Yep, that was a hint that there will still be no relationships for some time.**

**But there will be eventually!**

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	22. Where Have All The Smart People Gone

**Thank you for reviewing: susiipie, Doni, Likewow5556, silverbirch, Arlath's Daughter and Kitty Bridgeta!**

**It is appreciated so much!**

**And a big leap forward in time for this chapter, to the end of third year!**

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**Chapter 22: Where Have All The Smart People Gone**

**May 22nd 2020 - The Quidditch Final**

Rising to her feet, Alice began to cheer madly. Quidditch didn't usually interest her, but it was different when your best friend was the Keeper who had just done a dizzily happy loop of the goals, and was now celebrating down on the pitch - because your house had won the Quidditch cup for the first time in nearly a decade.

This, in fact, had been the first final in a decade that Gryffindor hadn't taken part in. It had been Slytherin versus Ravenclaw, which had made for an interesting game. House stereotypes still had their place, even in this day and age.

Gryffindor tended to fly with passion, and enthusiasm, and their confidence often won them the match. Hufflepuff trained hard, flew hard, and didn't give up no matter how long the game was. Their attention didn't wander during the game like other Houses, and that was their strength.

Ravenclaw and Slytherin, on the other hand, played a very different game. More focused on tactics and strategy than the passion of the game (although they, too, enjoyed their matches as much as the other Houses) the Slytherin-Ravenclaw matches were the ones to watch if you were interested in learning more about complicated maneuvers, Hawkshead Attacking Formations and Sloth Grip Rolls.

Ravenclaw didn't often win, however. Their tactics were clean and their execution was flawless, but they played with a greater detachment than any other House. Slytherin, on the other hand, had a single-minded intensity which had led them to victory earlier this year. But maybe the new players for Ravenclaw this year had made the difference. You couldn't accuse Rose of lack of drive, and from the way that the Ravenclaws had cheered, all of them had clearly been just as thoroughly absorbed in the match.

Alice's reflections had led her down to the changing rooms, outside of which she waited for her friend. Lia had joined her, although her purpose was to comfort Aisha after her loss. She had delayed the catching of the Snitch in every way that she could, once Ravenclaw were more than 150 points ahead (an event that occurred very quickly) but Slytherin had failed to catch up, and her repeated stalling had only delayed the final outcome.

Lia and Alice separated, one to the door which led to the Slytherin changing rooms and the other to the Ravenclaw door. Although Lia was glad for Rose, her speciality was with comforting people, unlike Alice, who would have been tongue-tied at the prospect.

When a tired-looking Rose emerged, her ginger curls wet from a quick shower, Alice hugged her. Although she was the only one to come see Rose after the match, she wasn't the only one of Rose's friends to support Ravenclaw – most of Gryffindor House, including Albus, had too, in honour of their cousin. Lily was the only one of the extended Weasley family not to do so – she could hardly betray her own team. Lysander, too, supported Slytherin, whilst Lorcan stuck with his brother. To even out the numbers, Scorpius had cheered for Ravenclaw along with Albus.

The match had lasted for three hours, which was probably the cause of Rose's exhaustion. Luckily, Alice knew a passage near the changing rooms which somehow linked the first floor to the fifth, cutting out the several flights of stairs the girls would otherwise have had to climb on their way to their Common Room.

Once they reached the Ravenclaw Common Room, the eagle's beak opened. Instead of a question, an offer of congratulations emerged in its musical tone.

Grinning in thanks, Rose climbed through the portrait hole to hear the cheers of their fellow students. Although her family and friends would congratulate her the next day, sometimes it was the praise of complete strangers that felt the best, which was a large part of why Houses still held private parties after winning a match, to which only those of their colours were invited.

As always, someone had told the House-Elves and a lavish spread of food lined one wall. Another student, presumably one of the seventh years who had such freedoms, had gone to Hogsmeade to bring back a case of Butterbeers.

Rose wasn't the first team member back – all of the four boys on the team had made it back before her, but she was the first girl to return, as well as being the youngest person on the team. So there was no shortage of admirers clustering around, offering praise and pork pies.

It was an hour later when Rose was allowed to collapse onto a couch. Within minutes, Alice had disentangled herself from the conversation she'd been having with some fourth-years and joined her.

"Isn't it fantastic?" Alice enthused, taking bites of the Fairy Cakes which had been left out for them. Unlike Muggle versions of fairy cakes, these really were cakes baked by Fairies, with pinches of Fairy Dust in them, giving the whole cake an amazingly light texture. The ingredient was much coveted by wizarding bakers, but the Fairies would only give it to those who paid them overwhelming amounts of praise and attention.

The only real effect that this had on humans was to give a glow to their cheeks, although over-consumption could lead to an all-body glow. Not life-threatening, just slightly disconcerting, and disruptive to one's sleep.

"Great," Rose sighed.

"Yes, you really sound thrilled," Alice said sarcastically, eyeing her friend. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Alice didn't say anything. She'd found that this tactic worked best on Rose, who couldn't keep silent about her problems for long.

"Do you promise not to say anything to anyone?"

'_There we go'_ Alice thought. Aloud, she said. "When have I ever?"

Rose glanced at her hands. "It just doesn't feel like a big deal. Ooh, I won the Quidditch Cup. So did my Dad. Ooh, I get top marks. So did my Mum. I'm never going to be able to do anything that'll top what _they_ did."

Alice smiled. "Don't you think we all have that problem? My Dad actually led all the students against the Carrows, in his seventh year. Al's Dad conquered the Darkest Wizard of all time! Aisha's the only one without anything amazing to beat."

"But it's worse than that," Rose confessed, speaking so quietly that Alice had to strain to hear over the noise of the party. "I don't think….I don't think I could have done it."

She didn't have to elaborate. Alice knew what she meant.

"I know I couldn't have done it." Alice said flatly. "I've known ever since I was Sorted here. I'm not brave, I'm not loyal. If I'd been put in that position, the most I could have hoped for is that I wouldn't have obeyed the Death Eater Professors. So the most I could have hoped to do in the War would be nothing." She sighed.

"Really?" Rose asked, stunned.

"Completely. And don't you think that the others feel the same? Lysander's a Slytherin. Don't you think he doesn't wonder if, twenty years ago, he'd have turned against most of his peers. Or Aisha, if she weren't Muggleborn? She wouldn't even have the benefit of knowing, like we would, that it was hardly a choice. That there was no way we would be Death Eaters, when it meant turning against all of our family. For her, it would be the only way to fit in. And Scorpius….well."

"He must wonder if he'd have had the bravery to go against all of his family," Rose realised.

"Not only that, but he hopes that he would, that he'd manage to make better choices than his father. Then he hates himself for thinking that. Because he loves his Dad, and he doesn't want to think of him being the bad guy. It's the same for practically everyone who's grown up since the War, Rose. We have to question, constantly, what we'd have done. And we'll never know."

"Hopefully." Rose added.

"True. And then we get mad at our parents for being so damned heroic, giving us such high standards to live up to…..and then we feel guilty. Because so many of them are dead, so many of them are orphaned. We don't know how good we have it, but we're not happy with what we've got, and that makes us feel worse."

Rose stared at Alice. "When did you become so insightful?" she asked, surprised.

"Would you believe me if I said it just happened overnight?"

"No."

Alice gave a little smile. "Didn't think so. It's because I had the exact same conversation a few months ago, with Lorcan. I was feeling awful because I had a huge argument with my Mum."

"Why?"

"Because she wouldn't let me get any high-heels for Christmas. I started whining at her, complaining about how mean she was, how much I hated her, hated my life. And she was just feeling really impatient, I suppose, because she snapped back that if she'd known that that would be how ungrateful my generation would be, then she'd have told her friends and parents not to bother dying for us."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. She said she was sorry, and she didn't mean it. I know that she didn't. And that she doesn't regret all the sacrifices her generation made for us."

"She said that to you straight afterward, didn't she?"

"Yes. But still….."

"I know. It's why some people in our school work so hard, have so much ambition. They want to make the most of what they were given."

"And why other ones do hardly anything. They're sick of being told that they should make the most of what they're given, or their parents never told them to 'grow up', because it's the last thing they want for their kids, if they didn't have it for themselves."

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	23. We Can Ride On A Star

**Thank you for reviewing: TwistedIdentity, The Tester, Doni, Likewow5556, silverbirch, Kitty Bridgeta and Arlath's Daughter!**

**Oh, all the reviewers really made my week (as if it being nearly Easter and thus holidays wasn't enough!) Thank you all so much! I love you (not in a creepy stalker way...unless you stop reviewing without telling me, in which case expect a visit...soon.)**

**Sorry, I'm in a strange mood. Anyway. By the way, last chapter's title was from Stupid Girls, by Pink, to reflect Ravenclaw's victory.**

**Next Quidditch Championship chapter will have the title - Your Sympathy Will Get You Left Behind - anyone want to guess who will win?**

* * *

**Chapter 23: We Can Ride on A Star**

**September 13th - Quidditch Tryouts**

By their fourth year, the Sorting was getting duller, and the Hat's song seemed more repetitive, as it told a new generation of first-years that the Sorting would indeed be different to how their parents remembered it. There was nobody interesting to watch – there wouldn't be again, as they would leave before Alice's youngest brother, or her sister, came to the school, and all of Aisha's family had passed the age where they might receive a letter. As for the others, their siblings were either non-existent, or already at school.

New timetables were an excitement, but being told in each and every lesson that "it was OWL work now" was stressful, to say the least. People had changed, a little, over the holidays. Scorpius seemed to have grown at least a foot; Aisha had developed suddenly feminine curves.

Lia, of course, never seemed to grow. Something that she cursed as she waited in the line for Quidditch tryouts. At last there was a vacancy – three, in fact. Keeper, Seeker and Beater.

The Quidditch captain stopped in front of her, then looked down. "First-years can't try out for Quidditch," she sighed. "Honestly, when will people start to accept this?" she asked rhetorically.

"I'm in fourth year," Lia said, but the older girl didn't hear her and began to move on to the next person.

Thankfully, the girl next to her was in her year, and quickly informed the Captain that Lia was, indeed, a fourth year.

Moving backward, not looking happy at the contradiction, the girl snapped, "Name?"

"Amelia Creevey," Lia said, as loudly as she dared.

"Right, Delia Creevey," the girl repeated.

"_Amelia,_" Lia sighed, but the girl wasn't listening. Lia was used to it – at least teachers had classlists, so that they couldn't mishear her name. She'd heard all sorts of ridiculous interpretations – Ophelia, Cordelia, Lobelia, Celia and even Violet, once. She had no idea where that had come from. Instead, teachers would choose to shorten it however they chose, ignoring her polite request at the beginning of the year that would they please, call her Lia. Millie was the general favourite – she'd even been told that her parents must have been foresighted, Millie was such a _Hufflepuff _name.

"Position?"

"Beater."

"You know that's the one with the Bludgers? I'll put you down for Seeker, you're small."

"I'd like to try for Beater, please."

The girl shrugged. "You can try for both, if you'd like."

Lia accepted the compromise. She didn't want to be Seeker – not only would it entail competing against two of her closest friends, but Seekers were too much a focus of the match. She didn't want, or need, the pressure.

Half an hour later, she was on her broom ready for the tryouts. It was just a simple distance test first. She broke the branch of the tree she'd been aiming at.

Then they did some mock-play. Which had to be halted, before the incompetent that they'd chosen for the opposing Seeker position managed to break a bone, one of his own or someone else's.

After that, they did some power testing, with a magical board which registered how hard each Bludger hit. Lia's Bludger left a visible dent.

It was pretty much unanimous that there was no need for her to try out for the Seeker position. Decisions would be up the next morning, but the Quidditch Captain was already asking Lia for her uniform size. Lia decided not to mention that her Captain had helped her win the position - anger and frustration can be found in all of us, but Lia was excellent at channelling hers into a slim wooden bat and then into a Bludger.

* * *

The Gryffindor tryouts were equally nerve-wracking, although for different reasons. At least Scorpius wasn't trying out for the only non-Weasley position – Chaser was free too.

Nobody could pretend not to know his name, of course. Lucy and Molly, the first ever joint Quidditch Captains, sent him identical evil glares, although he didn't think that they meant it. That was just their style. Roxanne and Albus, at least, smiled encouragingly.

They began by having all of the recruits into two lines, and just chucking the Quaffle back and forth. One line continually swapped round, so you always had a different partner. Somehow, the five players managed to write down how many misses and catches a Keeper made. For the Chasers, they wrote not only the catches and misses for the player, but for their partner – Chasers had to be able to throw, as well.

This seemed to go on forever. Scorpius had long lost track of both his misses and his catches before Lucy finally lifted her whistle and blew them to a stop.

After a moment's chat with the team, all but three people for each position were dismissed.

A girl from Scorpius' year, Branwen Kendrick, was one of the players left over as Chaser, as well as a sixth year girl with impressively muscled arms and a fifth year boy.

Scorpius felt a twinge of sympathy for Branwen, who was nice enough, if quite loud. His odds were slightly better – a girl who was in Lily's year, so only just a second year and a boy who seemed older….

Scorpius gulped as he recognised the boy. He was only a fifth year, but Scorpius and he had met before – the previous year, in fact, when he'd been one of a group (if not the ringleader) who'd been trying and failing to bully Lorcan and succeeding slightly better at bullying him. Until the Gryffindor Quidditch team - well, Albus, James and Roxanne - had found out and stopped them.

Scorpius didn't look away when the boy turned to meet his eyes. The staring contest was brief, and broken by Molly calling them forward.

It was simple, and classic. Each of the Chasers would aim three goals at the Keepers who were trying out. The Keeper who caught the most, would win.

Then the Chasers would be tested against that winning Keeper in the same way, until they only had one Chaser.

They went in order of age, so the fifth year was up first. Briefly wondering if willing the other boy to miss each catch made him a bad, or at the very least an ambitious person, Scorpius watched.

He caught the first two. On the third throw, one of Roxanne's, he missed. On the fourth, his fingers brushed it but it sailed on through. On Roxanne's final throw, he just managed to snatch if from the air, the momentum carrying him back a metre or so. On James' final throw, he somehow headed in the completely wrong direction.

It was Scorpius' turn.

Feeling slightly more confident, he mounted his broom and flew up. Any hope that Roxanne, who he quite liked, would give him an easy catch was soon drowned, as the very first Quaffle sailed through his hand.

He heard a snicker from below.

Angrily, he concentrated on the Quaffle as it left James' hand. Anticipating where it would move, he turned his broom and was there to catch it. Same for the third. And the fourth.

On his fifth, Roxanne feinted to the left. Catching her movement to the right just in time, Scorpius shot sideways just in time. _You won't catch me with tricks, _he thought triumphantly. _I was trained by a Slytherin._

After catching his six, and final throw, Scorpius glided back down to the floor. Behind him, he heard an angry snort as a broom was thrown to the floor, and the fifth-year boy stormed away.

The tension wasn't over yet; Scorpius watched in relief as the second-year, although she managed to catch what was possibly the most difficult Quaffle so far, missed two others and he was thus declared the new Gryffindor Keeper.

It was strange to be the Keeper against his classmates as they tried out for Chaser. He didn't dare relax, knowing that Lucy or Molly might still be watching him, so he tried his all, managing to catch all of the sixth-year's shots, although the effort winded him as they hurtled towards him with surprising force.

'_Shame that there aren't any Beater spots open,' _he thought as he resumed his position.

The boy was slightly better – he evaded Scorpius on one of his shots by a clever curve ball, but Branwen was by far the best, putting three goals past him, although the last was by a very narrow margin.

"You won't have any problems with that guy, will you?" he asked James worriedly, later on.

"Littlewood? No, he wouldn't dare," James said confidently. "He won't want to talk too much about how he was beaten by someone younger, anyway."

"Can you believe we're on the team?" Branwen suddenly gasped, appearing next to Scorpius, a wide smile on her face. "Isn't it amazing?"

Half-listening, half-wondering when she had the time to take a breath, Scorpius followed her as they made their way back to the castle.

* * *

**Fourth year! **

**They grow old so fast.**

***sniff***

**:D**

**I don't own the lyrics - 'We Can Ride On a Star' - they're from Rule the World by Take That **


	24. Runs A Hand Through Her Hair

**Thanks for reviewing: Doni, silverbirch, susiipie, Arlath's Daughter and Likewow556.**

**And the relationships have begun. Hopefully satisfying the person who has been badgering me about them. You know who you are. To reiterate a point I've made a few too many times (it's a pet hate of mine), although people at this age do have relationships (so do people aged 11, but that's just worse) I don't really think that they're able to be serious about them, in 90% of cases.**

**Of course, if you are reading this, are fourteen and disagree, let me know. And you might be the exception - there are always exceptions.**

**EDIT: Thank you, Arlath, for noticing the typo near the end!**

* * *

**Chapter 24: Falling Out Of Her Top, Runs a Hand Through Her Hair**

**October 10th - Alice Has A Boyfriend**

"So what was it like?"

The question didn't even cause Alice to pause, as she quickly and precisely sliced her Chomping Cabbage into slivers that were only half a centimetre thick.

"Which bit?"

Rose frowned. She didn't know. She didn't really know what she'd been asking. Shrugging, she threw her own cabbage into the cauldron, and began to stir clockwise.

"Having a boyfriend? Kissing him? Um, anything else…" She trailed off.

Alice raised her eyebrows. "Anything else? I'm fourteen, Rose."

Rose shrugged.

"It's only what the rumours say," Lia pointed out bluntly from beside them.

"And you know that," Rose said shrewdly. "You probably started those rumours."

Alice said nothing, tipping her cabbage into the cauldron. Stirring it, she caught Richard Buckley looking at her and smiled very deliberately. He blushed and looked away quickly.

Rose had watched the entire performance, and sighed. Alice had come back different after the summer. Well, not that this hadn't been appearing for years – she'd always cultivated friendships with some of the girls in their year who Rose would dismiss as air-headed gossips, and taken more time in front of the mirror than Rose would in a week, but she'd never been so blatant about it.

Now, everyone seemed to have noticed. Including the fifth-year who Alice had started dating, only a week into the school term. They'd been all over the place; Rose was surprised that Professor Longbottom could stand it.

Rose eyed her a little jealously. Looking at Lia, she could tell they were thinking the same thing. '_Why do they like her?' _

Okay, Alice had a figure, while as yet Rose had only flatness. But how could they like the person who Alice was around them. She'd become touchy-feely, but never for that long. Just the lightest trailing of fingertips on a palm or a neck as she laughed.

Her hair had grown out, into loose curls that draped around her shoulders casually and seemed just tousled enough for a boy to dare wrap his fingers in it.

"It was kind of anticlimactic," Alice finally admitted, her potion letting out a breath of violet steam only moments after Rose's.

"A boyfriend?"

"Oh, no. That's nice. It's fun that people just assume where you've been if you've been away for a few minutes. And honestly, everyone stares so much if you so much as whisper in their ear. But the kissing? It's alright. The first few times, it makes everything tingle, and your lips feel like they are buzzing and all swollen. But he seems to just assume what he's doing is right, and I always read that kisses were supposed to be uncertain."

Rose could tell that this was a description that was entirely honest. Alice might giggle with girls like Daisy and Imogen?? about boys and gossip, but at least she was herself when she was just with Rose, Lia, or any of their eight.

"Is it wet? My Mum said first kisses could be wet. But hers was firm."

Alice glanced at her in some surprise. "You talk about stuff like that with your Mum?"

Rose blushed, aware that it was slightly strange. "We're the only girls in our family." she defended. "And I stopped the conversation before it got too weird."

No, she wouldn't be ready for where _that _conversation had been going for quite a few years.

"Oh, no. I don't think it is, I just wish I had that sort of closeness with my mum. Maybe I will with Sarah, I can be the cool older sister who teaches her things."

This odd mix of letting people into what seemed like deep emotional secrets and being entirely casual was something new that Alice was doing, Lia noticed. It flattered people, made them trust her, but never really gave much away.

At this point, however, Lia had to turn away from the conversation. Something had gone wrong with her potion – rather than steaming, it was bubbling, letting out little belches of purple smoke.

Professor Corner strode over.

"So, what's happened?" he asked.

Lia frowned, trying to remember. "I stirred it too many times?" she suggested.

Professor Corner made a face. That meant no.

"Added the cabbage too early?"

He waggled his head from side to side. That meant that she was getting warmer.

"Stirred it before adding the cabbage, not after?"

He grinned. "Exactly! And you correct it with?"

Lia sighed. Potions weren't her strong point. You could only take learning so far, unlike in Charms or Transfiguration. Sometimes it seemed like guesswork, having a feel for how the different components would interact.

Next to her, Rose's hands tried to shape out something on the desk.

"Pumpkin leaf?" she asked hopefully.

"Precisely! Why?"

That stumped both Rose and Lia. Alice's gaze flickered towards them…but she hated volunteering answers in class. The decision was taken out of her hands when Professor Corner began to explain about the thinning properties of pumpkin leaf, which would counteract the stirring, and also its lack of poisonous interactions with any of the other ingredients.

This was undoubtedly helpful, given the potion's use as an anaesthetic.

The addition of a single whole leaf did the trick, and soon Lia's potion was delicately steaming away.

"For homework, I want 10-inches on the properties of Chinese Chomping Cabbage and ways to counteract its addition to a potion," Professor Corner called. "Enjoy!"

The class left, at varying speeds. It was the last lesson before lunch, and some were clearly hungrier than others, judging by the few who fairly sprinted up the stairs from the dungeon.

Alice, Lia and Rose proceeded at a more sedate pace until they entered the Great Hall, where Alice immediately split off to join a different group of friends. Lia and Rose went on to join Albus and Scorpius, soon followed by Lorcan and Aisha. Lysander, on the other hand, sat with Alice and her circle of friends and hangers-on.

They'd all always had friends outside of the little group of eight, so this had happened too gradually for anyone to notice, Alice working her way into being the undisputed Queen of her year. Aisha could have sat with the group if she wanted, but it would have alienated other friends of hers, since Aisha was friends not only with popular airheads but the invisible misfits, and she didn't want that. Lia and Rose joining them would have caused more than a few raised eyebrows - Rose was a geek, a tomboy who never associated with girls like that, and Lia was so far beneath their radar that they wouldn't have known who she was. Lorcan, like Rose, would have given people cause to laugh - the more popular people in their year tended to see him as being weird, and just laughed when he said anything, even if it was normal.

Scorpius and Albus, on the other hand, would have been welcome, especially Scorpius. He was very good-looking, and joining the Quidditch team had definitely increased his appeal.

"He sees her as family." This comment of Lorcan's caused the others to frown, wondering what he could be referring to. They'd all been thinking similar things, about Alice and Lysander's new group.

Lysander was charming and very popular, so had integrated himself along with Alice without a problem.

"Who sees who?" Rose asked.

"Lysander, of course."

This suddenly made more sense.

"And Lysander's nothing if not protective of his family," Aisha agreed.

"Which is why he's sticking with Alice in that den of vipers," Scorpius added, eyeing the others on Alice's table with undisguised wariness.

* * *

**Once more - I don't own the lyrics - 'Falling Out of Her Top, Runs A Hand Through Her Hair' - they're It's Not About You, by Scouting For Girls.**

**AND if you notice a typo - please, please tell me!**

**x**


	25. I Don't Know Why I Instigate

**Thank you for reviewing: Marciabarcia, Joelle8, susiipie, Twisted Identity, Likewow5556, silverbirch, Arlath's Daughter and Doni.**

**It means so much to me that you take the time just to write a few words**

* * *

**Chapter 25: I Don't Know Why I Instigate And Say What I Don't Mean**

**November 9th, 2020: Alice and Rose Fall Out**

Maybe it had been brewing since the day they met. Or since the day they chose adjoining beds. Or the day on which, whenever that was, they became friends. In all that time, Alice and Rose did not argue once. It was hard to fight, when one of your pair would constantly hide behind fake laughter and false smiles. It was hard to tire of each other, when both were so grateful for the other's companionship that when irritation did strike, they would simply swallow it or find others to socialise with until the anger had been quashed, and you remembered why you were so close to begin with.

But it did happen once. Only once, in all the years. After that, they would disagree, as friends ought to. They would argue, as friends should. One or the other might even storm out. But neither would say anything designed to hurt, to sting deep in the way only somebody who really knows you, and your deepest fears and most hidden weaknesses, can.

It didn't start over anything important. In fact, they would disagree on what it did start over.

Alice thought it started over her brief relationship with James Potter. Rose thought it started over her carelessly letting out a secret entrusted to her.

This was how it happened….

Rose had been having a really bad day. She'd struggled with her Transfiguration essay, only to have it returned with a mark that was only two points away from being downgraded to an Exceeds Expectations. Hufflepuff had beaten Ravenclaw at Quidditch, and the Hufflepuff Keeper had made more saves than her. To put the rotten cherry on the mouldy cake, she'd heard two boys in her year discussing her and her attractiveness, or lack thereof. At least compared to her best friend, which was, according to one of the boys, 'like putting fruit salad next to double chocolate fudge cake on a dessert bar.' Fruit salad might be better for you, but everyone knew which one was more sexy, enthralling, complex and delicious.

She'd had to give them points for their creativity, even as she'd rushed away. When she'd walked into the Ravenclaw Common Room, not a single person looked up. Nobody smiled, glad to see her. A few people who did glance at her let their glance keep on moving. None of them were interested.

Then Alice came in, and they all seemed to gravitate towards her. Heads turned, greetings were shouted and the entire atmosphere changed. Rose hurried over, hoping for a mood lift. But Alice only smiled briefly, politely, at her before moving to sit down, on the lap of a nearby boy.

It was the last straw and, almost in tears, Rose turned and stalked away, heading for the dormitory.

* * *

Alice had been having a really bad day. She'd been accused of copying her essay by Professor Stebbins. The fact that it was one of the few essays she hadn't copied, but had done with Lia and Aisha's help made this all the more irritating. Professor Corner, one of the few Professors with a properly good opinion of her had been ill, meaning that Potions had been covered by Professor Whitby, who had had a bad opinion of Alice ever since she'd caught her painting her nails in History of Magic. Then she'd heard two girls in her year discussing her and her reputation, or lack thereof. The way they put it being 'the school broom, you only ride it when you've got no alternative.'

She'd rushed away, where she'd knocked right into James and a few of his friends. He'd done little more than compliment her and mention how much she'd changed from the little girl who had been Rose's friend as a child, and she'd thrown herself at him. Nothing more than usual, and it hadn't been exactly rebuffed – James had looked both delighted and shocked, whilst his friends had just looked jealous, but Alice couldn't help but feel a little guilt.

She'd come into the Common Room to calm down from the rush of emotions, to absorb a little mindless gossip, only to see Rose watching her. The guilt consumed her again. Alice didn't delude herself, like most teenagers did, that she wasn't interesting enough to be gossiped about by her year-mates. Instead, she welcomed the gossip, expected it and fed it.

But not in this instance. In this case, she wished that people would have stayed silent. Yet she just knew that her luck wasn't good enough that Rose wouldn't have already heard about her and James.

Following her closest friend and confidante, she too climbed the stairs to the dormitory.

"Rose, listen," she began, but paused once she realised that there were others in the room. Kate O'Keefe and Gina Simmons, both watching with wide eyes.

"Yes?" Rose asked, with a voice as brittle and as cold as ice.

Normally the tone would have served as a warning, but maybe Alice's senses weren't firing on all cylinders today.

"Sorry about me and James. I mean I knew it would upset you, but I did it anyway. I am sorry." Maybe, if they'd left it there, it would have been fine. But Alice remembered the audience then and, being who she was, was unable to resist slipping back into her persona. "But, you know. Have you seen him? Those green eyes…Merlin's chest hair, but he _is_ attractive."

The voice, the airy quality, so alike in its tone to all the people who Rose had ever heard whispering unkind things about her, put her back up. "And we all know that you'd have sex with centaur if it got in your way," she snapped. "Or a ghost. Has the Bloody Baron offered to keep you with him if you try to kill yourself?"

Alice's cheeks flushed slightly, one of the few genuine emotions the other girls had ever seen her show. It was considered one of the worst insults, in the wizarding world, to be a ghost-consort. The old superstitions, that a ghost could get you pregnant in your sleep and make you give birth to all sorts of demon creatures, still stood strong.

"Just because none of the ghosts would even give you the time of day," Alice snapped back. She didn't do best in anger. Her usual cutting retorts tended to dissolve into a flush of fury and, if she was really unlucky, a bout of crying.

"No, it's because they're attracted to a lack of sanity. Well shown by how you keep trying to make yourself sick. Something you failed at. How unimpressive. You can't even be a successful bulimic."

"I…I told you that as a friend. As a secret!" Alice gasped.

"So? I'm only obliged to keep the secret if _you_ act like a friend. Which you never do!" Rose turned and stormed out of the dormitory.

Alice fixed the two watching girls with a glare. "Tell a single soul about anything you've heard, and I'll know. And I'll get somebody to make you regret it," she hissed. Being a bulimic wasn't exactly the sort of thing she wanted people to say about her. She attracted guys because she was confident, in control, determined. If they knew that on the inside she was uncertain, insecure and confused....?

They nodded and fled out of the room. Neither had seen such a frightening side to the shallow Alice Longbottom before. Had they stayed, they would have seen another side to her. One that drove her to curl up on her bed, drapes drawn, and sob.

* * *

The problem didn't occur just when two people were ridiculously stubborn. Aisha and Lysander counselled both to just say sorry. It wasn't that hard, something Alice had even discussed with Aisha and agreed with. But there was a deeper problem – both were afraid of rejection. Both felt at fault. Both felt frightened of losing their closest friend. And so, they both waited for the other to make the first move.

And meanwhile, their friends had to pick sides. Whilst Alice pretended Rose didn't exist, Rose opted for the injured party tactic. Scorpius and Albus stayed with Rose. Lysander and Lia stayed with Alice – although Lia defended her decision to Rose on the basis that Alice had fewer friends with her. Fewer true friends, anyway.

Lorcan simply hung out with neither, choosing to get as far away from the situation as possible. He found new people to talk to, Lily and other younger years among them. Lily had at last found a few friends in her own year, a Hufflepuff boy who had befriended both Lily and another Slytherin girl who Lily had presumed disdained her - only to discover now that the girl, Serafina, had merely been shy.

Aisha chose to remain neutral. She'd talk to both, she'd talk to either. But she wouldn't pick, if they were both sat there and urging her to come to their table.

It was uncomfortable. Aisha couldn't spend as much time with Lia as she wanted to. Lysander began to miss his Gryffindor friends. Lessons became awkward. Project work was even more so. It lasted a sum total of three weeks, in which Rose and Alice didn't exchange a single word, or even a glance, despite adjoining beds in their dorm.

The first person to give in was Lysander. Then, together with his other friends, he devised a plan to get them talking. The oldest trick in the book. He locked them in a room together. Both were sent a fake note from Professor Corner, and both turned up in a classroom. Into which they were trapped.

It didn't take long for them, two of the brightest minds in Hogwarts, to work out what had happened.

"I cannot believe someone's locked me in a room," Alice fumed.

Rose remained silent.

Alice, not about to give in, fell silent too, and sat at a desk. She pulled out some homework.

Two hours later, both girls had completed their homework and read through all of the notes and textbooks they had with them. Twice.

"We won't let you out until you talk to each other," a disembodied voice called through the room. Something that it had been doing at fifteen minute intervals and eliciting only a scowl from the two girls.

At last, Rose relented. "I have to get to my Ancient Runes lesson," she snapped. "So could you just yell at me and get it out of the way."

True shock coloured Alice's tone, rather than the fake surprise that so often infected it. "Me? Yell at you? Why in Rowena's brain would I do that?"

"Because I told people. About you trying to make yourself sick, and I made it sound worse than it was, and you told me in confidence."

"And I made out with your cousin, and ignored you in front of everyone, and then insulted you."

"So? You're you. And James is James. You were going to make out with him some time, he'd feel left out if you didn't."

"But the bulimia thing would so not be worth this. Not being able to talk to you has had a much worse effect on my reputation than a bit of weight neuroses. I've been snappy, dismissive, awkward-"

"Your real self?"

Both of them laughed.

Rose glanced across at her. "You've really missed me that much? That it's changed your whole mood?"

Alice moved over and took both of Rose's hands. "I missed you like I'd miss an arm. More than that. Like I'd miss my high heels."

"That much? Wow. I guess…I guess I missed you too. A lot. I love Al and Scorpius, but they're no substitute, not really."

"Nobody can be a substitute for me," Alice boasted, smiling. "And to me, nobody could ever be a substitute for you."

The two hugged. Being who they were, they also knew how to get out. Hand on hand, the two of them twisted the door handle together. And it opened.

They didn't fall out in such a massive way again. Now they knew, you see, to talk to each other. As soon as they had fought. In fact, with them, it was best to pretend that they had never fought at all. And although Alice never went after another Weasley, and Rose never betrayed another confidence, they both moved a long way past whatever that argument had been about.

* * *

**Chapter title from Breaking The Habit, by Linkin Park**

**This chapter isn't really dedicated to someone - the person I'm talking about has never fought with me, so it can't be. And she's nothing like either character. But I would miss her more than my high heels.**

**x**


	26. Can't Read My Pokerface

**Thank you to: The Tester, susiipie, Arlath's Daughter, silverbirch, Joelle8, Marciabarcia, Likewow5556 and Doni.**

**And now I feel so guilty, after you were all so wonderful and reviewed. You might have noticed that I always do seven chapters per year - but I'm so sorry! **

**I opened the file for this chapter, and realised that it was a duplicate of last chapter, which was obviously no good. And then I checked all the files for 4th year, and there were only six - anyway, you don't need me to jabber on any longer. I've substituted one of the random characterisation drabbles that I write, just because I like the organisation of having seven years with seven chapters. **

**Thank you, all of you so much, if you reviewed last chapter. And I swear, I've checked, you get a real chapter next time. x**

* * *

**Chapter 26: Can't Read My Pokerface**

**Early January**

_Everyone has things which they hide, secrets about their characters and their opinions. Knowledge which most of their friends cannot be told, for fear it would drive them away._

**Aisha: Cowardice **

What would it be like, she sometimes wondered, to take a break? To not wonder how every phrase would be received, what the most insignificant person will think of you. To not consider every test as practice and as information that could stop you on a path to greatness.

She didn't want to be without her ambitions. They made her who she was. But she wasn't always sure if she liked that person, the person who hid behind the sympathetic look or the fake smile which always reached her eyes. No matter how genuine it was. The mind which was secretly judging those who she spoke to, weighing them up. The catty comments that she would never voice, but that would rise to her mind each time she saw someone.

It might be a weight off her mind, she knew, to be able to just blurt things out. But the words wouldn't come.

In the end, she just wasn't brave enough.

* * *

**Albus: Jealousy**

There was something lurking, behind his wisecracks and his friendliness. Behind the angry instinct that reared up to protect any of his friends or family when they were insulted. Behind the boy who would make a comment about keeping the house warm when the feather he was supposed to be levitating, spontaneously combusted instead.

It was in the slight glance he would throw at Rose, who had already moved six steps ahead of the rest. The annoyed flare when Scorpius, too, mastered it, despite having done as little work as him.

He would be furious if anyone else brought up his best friend's ancestry. But he'd caught that traitorous thought occasionally, when Scorpius was the centre of attention – shouldn't that be _me_? Harry Potter's son, not Draco Malfoy's?

But he'd crush it viciously and make a joke.

After all, nobody can laugh _at_ you if you're laughing too. Right?

* * *

**Alice: Lies**

They mounted up on her. The different people, the different acts. The facets of the character she herself had created and taken upon herself.

Sometimes she got confused – would Alice laugh at this joke? Would she return this gaze? Would she stop the boy now? Now? When?

She'd wonder what Alice, the Alice who boys thought she was, would be thinking now.

She'd imagine what Alice, the Alice who girls thought she was, would be saying here.

She'd picture what Alice, the Alice who her parents thought she was, would do in this situation.

Then she'd wonder what Alice, the Alice who she'd lost among all the other interlopers in her mind, would have done.

* * *

**Lia: Ingratitude**

People presumed that because she was honest, because she was Hufflepuff she didn't know what it was like to live a pretence. But they were wrong. Huffleuffs were patient, and she'd been brought up polite. All of this conspired to leave her assuring people that she didn't mind as they forgot her name; that it was fine for her to listen to their problems without them even caring about the most basic facts about her; that after so many years, being so invisible didn't have a sting.

She didn't want to be noticed, hated being the centre of attention. She wasn't asking people to include her in everything. She didn't need them to remember every time that she had helped them, before they'd push past her in the corridor. She didn't expect thanks every time that she did someone a favour.

But just once, it would be nice.

* * *

**Lily: Ambition**

She loved her brothers. Both of them. And maybe she'd made her bed, so she should lie in it. But hanging around with AL's friends just made her more into 'Albus Potter's little sister'. Why couldn't she be more than that?

Why couldn't she be the polite, friendly self that she was to those who she hardly knew, when she was with her friends, rather than the cow who was effusively, pathetically grateful for their companionship one second, dismissively cold the next and outright sharp the next?

Why couldn't she be a better person, like Lia. Why couldn't she have ambitions, like Aisha? Why couldn't she be funny, like Albus? Why couldn't she be magnetic, like Alice?

Why did she feel the need to compare herself and continually try to beat older people who never even realised that they were in a competition.

* * *

**Lorcan: Exaggeration**

He'd never hidden who he was. The strange things he said were the strange things he thought. But he did hide how perceptive he was. It astounded him, sometimes, how people could realise that he knew them so well – yet never expect him to have picked up on what people thought of him.

In all truth, he didn't always hear the whispers. He didn't always notice the looks. But you'd have to be blind to never notice them, and deaf not to notice what weren't really whispers, but outright comments.

And sometimes, some peverse pixie in him pushed him to just be that little bit odder. In situations when he would have been normal, to say things that would be considered different. It was his slot, his niche, and he wasn't sure who he'd be without it.

* * *

**Lysander: Trickery**

He couldn't help but feel guilt, sometimes. For all those victims who never suspected that despite his honeyed tone and pleasant smile, he was poking fun at them with his sarcastic words which they didn't comprehend or backing them into a corner where they would have to agree with him.

It didn't help to see Lorcan, so lacking in any sort of guile, and know that the people who he preyed on were exactly like his brother, too naïve to realise.

Once he saw a magician. He'd been so impressed with his magic, even better than that of his parents. Pulling rabbits from hats? Never-ending string? But then he'd seen him prepare his tricks, and felt a bitter sting of disappointment at the fakery.

And he wondered if he was that charmer? Taking advantage of the innocent to further himself. Getting from point A to point B, no matter who he hurt on the way.

* * *

**Rose: Expectations**

Sometimes, she wondered which had come first – the high grades, or the high expectations. The chicken-or-the-egg hypothesis, but with a more destructive outcome.

There was that feeling sometimes, that strange whispering _what if_. The sort of voice which says _what if you just leaned forward off that high wall. What if you just burst into song in the middle of the Great Hall. What if, for a change, you didn't revise for a test. _

Oh, she felt flattered every time that people asked her for help with their work, and there was a glow inside of her when she got her high results. She knew that she didn't achieve just for other's reactions, but for herself too. But as time went on, it became harder and harder to beat her own expectations.

And when anything less than perfect is a disaster, how can there be any joy in getting that score?

* * *

**Scorpius: Unworthy**

Scorpius hated people who hid things from him. Whether it was for his own protection or not, he wanted to know! Not in the way that Rose wanted to know all about everything under the sky, but the things that made his friends tick, that they knew and he didn't.

Maybe it had been born when he was very young, and constantly wondering what the mystery was when people in the street would stare and point at his family.

Maybe it was after that, when his grandfather suggested that he pretend to be close to his friends, so as to keep them on his side.

It was certainly the reason why he would get so angry at his friends when they didn't tell him anything, even to protect him. When they'd suddenly stop mid-sentence as they were relating old stories or repeated gossip. He was a Gryffindor! He was strong enough to hear it.

But he was a hypocrite. He hid things himself, feelings which he would never confess. The reasons why he'd not told anyone about the bullies a few years ago. After all, a true Gryffindor would have stood up to them. He was always first to hold the door for another, to volunteer to take the fall for a group.

He tried so much harder to be the chivalrous knight, the perfect man. Because all the while, there was a little nagging voice telling him – you don't belong here. You don't deserve this.

_In the end, there was one solution to all of their problems, and it was this that they had been lucky enough to find – a friend who they could confess this to._

* * *

**Like I said – not much plot. We will return to their actual schooling next chapter. These are just written when I've got writer's block but want to write, if that makes sense. They help me get a handle on the characters. I've got lots on different prompts – colour, sense etc. but this one was the only one that was based while they were still this age. **

**Chapter title - Lady Gaga - Pokerface**


	27. The Forbidden Pool

**Thank you for reviewing: Twisted Identity, Likewow5556, Doni, susiipie, Arlath's Daughter, silverbirch, Joelle8 and Marciabarcia.**

**I don't deserve you all! Thanks again.**

**A real, if short, chapter this time. And a real, long chapter next time, if a sad one. **

* * *

**Chapter 27: The Forbidden Pool**

**March 30th: An Unexpected Meeting**

Scorpius rounded the corner, laughing. "Sure. Did you see his face? Poor Filch, doesn't realise he's getting soft."

Scorpius, Lorcan and Albus had had a detention, not an unusual event in and of itself. It had overrun and the time was now long past curfew. Which was why they definitely weren't expecting what happened next.

"Oof!" Albus, not looking where he was going, had crashed headlong into someone else.

"Aisha?" he asked, surprised. "What are you doing up here?" The fifth floor was on the way to Gryffindor tower, yes, but not the dungeons. "There's no way that you had a detention!"

Scorpius offered a hand to Aisha, pulling her up. "Oi, what about me?" Albus asked.

"You can get up on your own, you lazy lump," Scorpius told him. Laughing, Al did just that.

He took in Aisha's appearance properly for the first time. She was wearing a dark cloak over her robes and was clutching a bag but, oddest of all, her hair was wet and dripping down her back.

"Did you fall in the lake or something?" he asked.

She smiled. "Not exactly," she began, then glanced around. "Can we walk and talk? I don't want to get caught out after curfew."

"But you _are_ out after curfew," Lorcan pointed out.

"Well, if I get caught with you, I'll say I had a detention. Otherwise I was going to say that I was studying and I didn't notice the time."

They were walking back to the Gryffindor Common Room. It was nearest and Aisha could always use the Inter-House Common Room to get back to her own Common Room.

"So why were you out?" Albus pressed.

She grinned sheepishly. "I was in the Prefects' Bathroom. The bath in there is like a swimming pool, and I miss swimming so much while I'm at Hogwarts."

"So much so that you swim in the lake," Al remembered, shuddering.

"It was May! It was warm enough." Aisha paused, then smiled. "Okay, it wasn't, it was freezing. But I need to swim!"

"You should have a frog on that badge, not a snake," Scorpius told her.

"I know, I've heard that before," Aisha said. "But now I have an even better reason for it. Our Quidditch Captain is determined to win the Cup this year, since we got so close last year. And swimming really helps." She smiled, remembering her first week at Hogwarts. "Three-dimensional awareness, remember," she said to Albus.

He grinned, remembering the afternoon they had spent teaching Lia and Aisha how to fly.

"How did you get the password?" Lorcan asked.

She laughed. "Alice. She's a marvel, really. I bet she could get the Gringotts keys off half the boys in our school. As it was, all she had to suggest was a late-night swim, and people were jumping to tell her the password."

The others laughed. They seemed to be immune to Alice's charms – or at least, more immune than their classmates, some of whom consistently watched her as she went past. Of course, that could be because, ever since the argument with Rose, she had never turned the full glare of her considerable attractiveness on her friends.

"I would ask where you were, but there's no point, is there?" Aisha mock-sighed.

The three boys grinned. "Not really," Albus told her. Of the eight, he was most often in detention, closely followed by Scorpius. Lorcan seemed to possess the skill for knowing when not to venture out after-hours because professors would be prowling, and Lysander was better at explaining away any misadventures.

Lia and Rose would never misbehave – at least, no Professor would believe that they had, and Aisha had learned a simple survival skill – if Lorcan wasn't going on an adventure, she shouldn't go either. They always ended up getting caught. Alice was halfway between the Lia group and the Scorpius group. If she went out, they almost never seemed to be caught. But they could rarely persuade her to go out, although on the few occasions she had been caught misbehaving, she'd been punished as severely as the rest. Neither a father as a Deputy Head nor a Ravenclaw crest on her robes could protect her.

They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. Aisha gathered her cloak around herself, trying to hide the Slytherin crest on her robes. She put her head down as she slipped through the portrait hole with the others. Listen as she might, she would never hear the password that the boys muttered - a new security system, since so many students now had inter-house friendships. Only entrance to each other's Common Rooms through the Inter-House Common Room was permitted, and even that had to be done by a student of that House opening the door for you. Professor Flitwick had charmed the entrances so that the password could only be uttered by a member of that House, or a Professor, and it could not be overheard by any student of another House, no matter how close they were.

"Good night then," she told the boys, moving towards the door to the Inter-House Common Room.

They bid her good night and began to climb the stairs to their dorm. Exiting the Common Room, Aisha picked her way around chairs and tables to reach the Slytherin door. She spoke the password quietly, and then found herself in her own Common Room.

She smiled, relieved that she'd not been caught. It was only her third time out on her own, and although she found it quite exciting, making her way around the school at dark, it wasn't quite as fun as it would be with a friend. "_Maybe next time I'll invite someone else," _she mused.

The choices of who to invite weren't limited. Lysander, Lorcan, Alice and Aisha were probably the three who had made most friends outside of their circle of eight. Lia wasn't disliked by any of the girls in her dorm, but they all had their own best friends and she wasn't one of them. They were also very protective of her, an instinct Lia inspired in most people, which Aisha had noticed in them previously to recent Quidditch matches, when the insults that always flew around were aimed at Lia for the first time. She had also noticed that this annoyed Lia - despite looking like a china doll, Lia preferred not to be treated like one and when her dorm-mates took it into their heads that she needed protecting from people like Alice or Lysander, it would give her extra fuel to hit Bludgers. Amy Burke, who Lia had first spoken to at the feast, proved especially prone to this since they weren't Amy's sort of people at all - she was unfailingly honest, and thus distrusted anyone who understood lies like Alice, Lysander or Aisha herself.

Rose was too involved in everything else. It was hard to know when she'd have time to make friends – if she wasn't studying, she'd be out playing Quidditch. Not to mention that her growing reputation as the smartest girl in the school seemed to put people off.

Alice received nearly as high marks in the tests that she took, but never top of the class. Aisha wondered sometimes if Alice planned it that way, to be fifth or sixth. Neither stupid nor intimidating. And it wasn't the first thing people thought of when they thought of Alice. But Aisha wondered if the girls and boys who flocked around Alice could be considered friends. The girls, at least, didn't seem to like her all that much – she'd heard them gossiping about her a few times. Although the favour was repaid by Alice about those girls.

Albus and Scorpius were simply too close for anyone to be friends with them. Lorcan was occasionally a third wheel with them, or otherwise he would join other friends, Lysander or often students in lower years, or simply be on his own. He needed solitude – it was part of who he was.

Lysander had made friends with almost every boy in his dorm, although not close friends. He was also friendly with a number of girls in their year, always ready with a joke. He was a great conversationalist, inviting both banter and confessions with the same easy smile.

Aisha had had to make friends. Like Lia, she was alone in her dorm, and she hadn't wanted to be. So she'd made the effort, and done what the Sorting Hat, four years ago, had told her she was good at. She'd made the effort to remember names and facts about people, ask them how their pets, families, projects or problems were going. They felt flattered that she'd remembered, and she gained friends. It was a win-win situation.

She was still closest to her eight, though, particularly Lia, and also Scorpius and Albus. The four of them almost always ate breakfast together, with different people joining them every day. Lily wasn't there as often as she used to be - she'd formed her own little Trio, always together despite everyone else. She still had trouble sleeping, but now Aisha would find two students coming out of the Slytherin dormitory - Lily and her friend Serafina Elliot, who also rarely slept through the night.

From what Aisha could gather, Serafina's problem wasn't like Aisha's, but was more straightforward. She had nightmares - loud, terrifying ones that caused her to st bolt upright, shaking and unable to return to sleep. Sometimes Aisha would sit and chat with the two second-years; sometimes she would leave them together. She liked Serafina, although the girl was by turns very quiet or very loud, as mercurial in temperament as Lily herself. She was nothing like her brother, Gabriel Elliot, who was reserved but always polite - Serafina was quiet, but blunt, with a wicked sense of humour that reminded Aisha of Lysander.

She wondered how long it would take Albus, who hated Gabriel Elliot for the simple fact that he was best friends with Wayne Macmillan (who hated Scorpius for the simple fact that he was a Malfoy), to realise that Lily was best friends with an Elliot, and start annoying his sister about it. She wasn't worried about it - the protective streak in Albus was oddly endearing, even if he showed all the signs of going over the top with regards to his little sister.

* * *

**Chapter title is from a song off the Lord of The Rings Film Soundtrack**


	28. I Just Want To Cry In Front Of You

**I'm not sure why, but in the same way that 3rd year was very Scorpius focused, this year is quite Alice focused. It just happens like that!**

**Thank you for reviewing: talapadme, Euclidian, Doni, Arlath's Daughter, Kitty Bridgeta, silverbirch, susiipie, Twisted Identity, Joelle8, Likewow5556 and Marciabarcia.**

**Oh wow! Thank you all so much! All your reviews *sniff* it's making me emotional and deeply grateful! And I've hit the 200-review mark, thanks to all of you lovely people! Thank you very much! You all inspired me to write faster, so this chapter is a day early. **

* * *

**Chapter 28: I Just Want To Cry In Front Of You**

**May 15th - A Death In The Family**

It had been quite a normal Saturday, at least as far as Hogwarts days went. The weather was beautiful, befitting July rather than mid-May. The fourth-years, thankful that they weren't fifth-years and drowning in OWL revision, had relaxed by the lake, half-heartedly revising for the end of year exams.

Aisha and Lia sat with Rose, Lorcan, Albus and Scorpius. On a nearby table of six, Alice held court, joking and chatting with Lysander, Gavin Maxwell and Eric Ogden, two of the latest hopefuls for her affections. Two other girls from their year sat with her, laughing along and trying to copy her body positions and affectations.

A silver owl winged through the windows of the Great Hall, not that many took any notice. After all, although teatime was an odd time for post, it wasn't unknown.

Of the few who had turned to glance at it, most turned away when they saw it aim towards the staff table. So there weren't a lot of witnesses to see Professor Longbottom's easygoing smile fall from his face, or watch him thrust the letter at a colleague as he stood up abruptly, searching the Great Hall.

The colleague, Professor Samson, also stood and put his hand on Neville's shoulder. By now, other members of staff were turning to look at them. A hasty and murmured discussion between Samson and Longbottom followed, with Professor Bell, who was also nearby, joining in with the occasional phrase and ending with both men striding off the dais.

A sense that something was wrong had pervaded the room now, and a silence was slowly falling, the tables at the back of the room being last to notice. When Neville stopped by a table which consisted of two Hufflepuff second**-**years**,**a Slytherin girl and three Gryffindors, several pairs of eyes watched as Frank Longbottom stood to speak to his father, before the pair of them swiftly continued towards the exit of the Great Hall.

Alice's table, however, seemed entirely oblivious. They did know, in the back of their minds, that a hush had settled, but they prided themselves on being the ones of who everyone else wanted to listen to, so carried on their conversation regardless.

Gavin Maxwell, the Ravenclaw boy who was sat opposite Alice and facing the front of the room, was first to realise that something was far more wrong than a quiet meal. It took a few more seconds before he equated Professor Longbottom with Alice – the two had done a remarkable job of seeming like they were hardly related at all, helped by the complete contrast between the personalities.

When he did though, he spoke Alice's name, in a tone so urgent that she broke off laughing and turned to look at him. Seeing where his gaze was, she twisted to look at Professor Samson, rapidly approaching.

Also noticing the fact that most of the school's eyes were upon her and ever-conscious of her body, Alice took advantage of the fact and elegantly twisted to stand behind her chair, facing the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.

"You wanted to speak to me, Professor?" she asked innocently, blinking long, blackened, eyelashes over baby-blue eyes.

"I'm afraid it's not good news," he told her, escorting out the Hall. "I don't know how to tell you this, Alice…"

As it turned out, he didn't have to. They left the Hall just as Frank blurted "she's dying?" in response to his father's news.

Alice froze, letting the door slam behind her. She didn't ask any questions. She didn't say anything at all.

Neville saw her stood there and sighed, hurrying over to her. "Alice, love. I wouldn't have told you like that, but now you know. We have to get to St. Mungo's as quickly as possible."

Alice's mind, too quick for its own good, was running through all of the 'she's' which would necessitate this. There were only four, actually. Her little sister, her mother, her grandmother and her great-grandmother. It must be her father's relative, he was that upset….but that didn't help. It couldn't be her mother's. Her maternal grandmother had died in the Second Wizarding War, and her mother had no siblings.

She didn't dare ask. Knowing would make it too real. But every second that she didn't know, her brain was ticking over, trying to work out which would be best. She wished it would stop, it seemed wrong and sick and cold, but it was happening.

Two of the possibilities were quickly eliminated though. "Are Toby and Sarah there with Mum already?" Frank asked.

Alice breathed a quick sigh of relief. _"It's Great-Nan or Grandma Alice then,_" she thought. "_My namesake…or the woman who brought up my Dad."_

They were being whisked to Neville's office, where a fire was already blazing and where a House-Elf waited, pot of Floo powder in hand.

Following after her father and brother, stuttering 'St Mungo's' and staggering into the lobby of the hospital without caring that her robes and face were now streaked in soot, Alice could feel herself start to tremble. _But it's not even cold! _Her mind protested.

Alice caught up with Neville in time to hear him say "Augusta Longbottom" to the Welcome Witch.

She reeled. Her great-grandmother was dying? How was that possible? Surely nothing could bring down that formidable lady, who had not only brought up Neville but had helped with all four of his children when Hannah was needed in the pub.

She hadn't exactly been Alice's kindred spirit, but she did understand one thing about her – her love of books. Her parents had accepted and encouraged it, but their bewilderment how anyone could find a book more interesting than a person took away some of the pleasure. Augusta hadn't been surprised, and had used reading as a reward – if Alice helped with her siblings for an hour, or ate all of her vegetables, she could go do some reading out in the garden.

She realised that she'd been standing in the foyer like an idiot. Neville was only just visible at the top of the stairs. She hurried up, not wanting to lose sight of her family.

When they rushed into Augusta's room, two floors up, Hannah was already waiting there. She didn't say a thing, just stepped forward to hug them all. A family hug….something that hadn't happened in years. It was hard to squash two adults, two teenagers, a seven year old and a four year old together, but they managed.

Neville bent down and swooped little Sarah into his arms. Hannah guided the rest of them forward. Augusta had a private room – the woman had always wanted one, since she wasn't all that fond of emotions being displayed publicly.

_Like a Slytherin that way, _Alice thought absent-mindedly, as she stepped into the room. Augusta looked so different to how she always had. She'd always seemed formidable – now, unconscious and in a hospital gown, she looked smaller than she used to.

A Healer entered the room behind them. "Mr Longbottom?" she asked.

"That's me," Neville said, his eyes barely flickering from his grandmother.

"You're Mrs Longbottom's grandson, correct?"

Neville nodded. The Healer glanced around at all the children. "Would you like to talk privately?" she asked.

"Yes," Neville said instantly. Just because he had become aware of grief and death at an early age did not mean that his children had to. He and Hannah shared a glance.

"I'll watch them," she told him.

Neville nodded jerkily and followed the Healer out of the room.

"Mum," Toby began. "Why isn't Dad happy? He's not smiling at all."

"I'm afraid that Great-Nan is very sick," Hannah told her children gently. Alice rolled her eyes. _We can see that, _she raged at her mother. _What's wrong with her though!_

She backed casually to the door and, easing her wand from a pocket, thought _Audio!_

It was like someone had switched the wireless on next to her ear. She could hear the Healer's voice speaking to her father "…..a heart attack….already weakened by the Dragon Pox.....probably won't wake….restarted her heart….no brain activity."

Neville's silence was the scariest thing.

Finally she heard him say. "So you would let her heart stop. Cast Finite Incantatum and just let her die."

"Sir, I'm very sorry. But in nearly all respects, she's already gone."

Alice ended the spell. She didn't want to hear any more. The door pulled open and the Healer came in, murmuring something to Alice's mother, who swiftly left.

Minutes passed in an awkward silence. Sarah toddled over to Augusta's bed and clambered onto the chair beside it. "Hi nanna!" she chirped brightly. "Mummy says you are sick, but don't worry. I was sick too. And now I'm all better."

Alice couldn't speak, couldn't move her legs to take her sister down from the chair. Sarah began to frown. "Nanna! Don't ignore me! Nanna!" she wailed, a full-blown tantrum beginning.

Frank's shoulders began to shake as he gave into tears. He had his arm around Toby, who was hiding his face in his brother's side.

Hannah rushed back in, and picked Sarah up. She held her, trying to sooth her, but Sarah wouldn't be silenced. Neville followed. He made eye contact with the Healer and, blinking tears from his own eyes, nodded.

The Healer withdrew.

"Children," Neville said quietly, but instantly had their full attention. "I'm afraid that Great-Nan is going away, forever. You won't see her again, but she'll always be with you."

"Why?" Sarah asked stubbornly. "Why would she do that, why can't she stay here?"

"She's very old, Sarah. She's lived a long, happy life and it's time for her to rest." Hannah said gently. "Say goodbye to her now."

"Will she be upset if I cry?" Sarah sniffled. "She doesn't like it when I cry."

"You can cry if you want, sweetie," Hannah replied.

"Bye-bye," Sarah said. She frowned, evidently thinking hard. "I hope you sleep well, and don't have any nightmares. And I promise I'll be good if you're watching."

Hannah hugged her tighter. Toby went forward, still wrapped in his older brother. "Bye, Great-Nan." He whispered. "You're always so busy, I can't believe this. But you deserve to rest if anyone does."

Frank nodded. "Thanks for looking after us," he added. "And for fighting in the War for us. Our Professors say you were a hero."

Alice didn't move forward. She couldn't think of anything to say. Nothing she had ever said suited for this moment. All of her words were flighty, light-hearted. "Bye," she finally muttered.

There was a pause, as Neville waited to see if that was all his oldest child would say. When it became clear that it was, he spoke. "Goodbye, Gran. I hope I made you proud in the end. Godric knows, I was so proud of you. Thank you so much, for everything."

The Healer had slipped back in behind Alice. Neville met her eyes, then shook his head. "You'll have to do it," he said. "I don't think that I can."

"That's fine," the Healer murmured in response. "It's very hard."

Moving to the old woman's bedside, she withdrew her wand, and placed it at Augusta's neck. "_Finite" _she muttered.

* * *

It was three days before Alice returned to Hogwarts. Her father tried to suggest she took longer, but when she pointed out that he and Frank weren't, Neville gave in.

A hushed whispering followed her as she entered the Ravenclaw Common Room. Frank had gone straight to the Hufflepuff dorms. She sat down with some other students from her year, who fell silent as she did so. Then the condolences started.

Alice shrugged, a light smile on her lips. Her eyes were not reddened, her nose wasn't sore. "She had a good run. Death happens. So you have to live life to the full, right?" She looked the boys up and down, dismissing Gavin immediately and alighting finally on a gangly blond.

"Right," the blond agreed.

"Still, it's a bit noisy in here. Want to come for a walk?" she asked, searching for his name.

"Sure," he agreed again. He would have agreed to anything. For an average boy to be asked somewhere by _the _Alice Longbottom. Girls and guys were always talking about her, and the guys would assure the girls that they preferred real girls, ones with some depth to them, and that they wouldn't really be that interested in her. But not one of them would have turned down an offer from her in a million years.

"Let's go then, Jeremy," she smiled, and turning, sashayed back out of the room, head held high.

* * *

It was three more days before Alice properly stood still. She flitted from group to group. "Same old Alice," people said. "I guess death is too important for her to really care about. I guess she didn't actually like her great-nan, not like Frank." Frank was still moving around the school looking worse-for-wear. Neville was taking classes again, though he hadn't smiled once from the reports and was Flooing home nearly every night to talk to Hannah or his friends, all of whom knew what loss was and had done for many years.

Rose tried to talk to Alice, but she just sighed impatiently. "I'm fine," she assured the redhead. "Honest." Lysander didn't bother, just tried to stay with Alice as much as possible and keep a sidelong eye on her. Lia and Aisha did the same, both lost for what to say.

Augusta Longbottom's funeral took place - it was extremely well attended, for someone of such an advanced age, whose friends all must have died years ago. But all of Neville's DA friends were there, along with most of those who had fought in the War, out of sheer respect for anyone who had fought with such bravery. Not to mention the official delegation from the Ministry, as befitted one who had earned an Order of Merlin, Third Class, for her help in the War.

Two days after the funeral, Alice didn't show up for Divination. Or Potions, afterwards. When they all met at lunch, she wasn't there. Asking around didn't help – nobody had seen her and she had been gone from the dormitory before Rose had woken.

"Where would Alice go?" Lysander wondered.

"She wants to be alone," Rose said. "She needs to grieve for her great-grandma and she hasn't yet."

"She doesn't want to be alone," Lia corrected gently. "She wants to be real. And she shouldn't have to grieve alone."

"She does if she goes and hides away," Aisha sighed.

Lia frowned, and slipped away. Lysander noticed and followed.

"Go find her," Rose instructed to the others, not noticing the absence of two of them.

She did notice, however, when she nearly crashed into them on the Astronomy Tower.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Looking for Alice," Lorcan replied from behind her, making her jump.

"Why here?" Lysander asked. "I followed Lia, but I don't understand. Alice hates heights. She wouldn't be up here."

"Alice is a Ravenclaw," Rose explained. "Lia, Lorcan - I suppose that you two both thought the same thing I did? That if Alice wanted to avoid us, she'd go where we'd least expect her."

"Which is at the top of the highest tower," Lysander realised, nodding.

"If she'd going to all of these lengths to be alone, shouldn't we let her be alone?" Rose asked.

"Why are you here then?" Lysander challenged.

"She's my best friend."

Bored of the debate, Lorcan continued up the stairs, Lia following. With a shrug, Alice and Lysander joined them.

As they came out onto the balcony of the Astronomy Tower, they all had to shield their eyes. It ought to be dark and windy, as such places always were in grief-filled moments, but instead the sun was shining brightly, gleaming off the golden hair of the girl hunched on the floor.

Her shoulders were shaking, her nose and eyes streaming. She was sobbing loudly, gasping for air in between each cry. It wasn't a pretty sight. Some people can cry and look beautiful. But what was beautiful about Alice was how she acted and right now, she had dropped every mannerism that was so alluring.

Not that her friends cared. They didn't see any of this. They saw their dear friend, heartbroken.

"Alice," Rose said softly, putting her arms around her friend. "You didn't have to come up here to cry."

"I did," Alice gasped between sobs. "I couldn't cry in front of everyone. I couldn't be serious, couldn't be upset about Great-Nan. I couldn't miss one of my best role models, one of my closest family members. I'm Alice, shallower than a raindrop. I don't cry, I don't get stressed unless it's because I broke a nail. That's who I am."

"That's who you act to everyone," Lorcan corrected.

"Which is what I want!" Alice snapped. "_She _knew that. She knew what it was like to keep up appearances. I like being that person, having people look at me and be interested in me."

"Which is fine," Lia said soothingly. "But we are your friends. In front of us, you are your real self. Flaws, tears and all."

"Got that?" Rose asked.

Alice nodded and sniffed, trying to wipe her eyes.

"No," Lia told her. "Cry. Cry if you want to. It might make you feel better and we don't mind."

"Can I…Can I talk about her?" Alice asked.

"Of course," Rose sighed. "We can all talk about her. Did she ever know that she was part of your Dad's Boggart?"

And the five students passed the day there, until it became too cold to stay outside. Finally, tears long since dry and eyes no longer red, Alice led her friends down to dinner.

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**So?**

**Title was from Avril Lavigne - Fall To Pieces**

**If you want a hint about future pairings, the song has an important line soon after the chapter title**


	29. Your Sympathy Will Get You Left Behind

**The end of fourth year? Already? Merlin's beard!**

**Anyway, thank you so much for reviewing: Twisted Identity, Kitty Bridgeta, Arlath's Daughter, susiipie, silverbirch, Doni, Joelle8, Likewow5556, Marciabarcia and Lottie1122.**

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**Chapter 29: Your Sympathy Will Get You Left Behind**

**June 31st - Leaving At The End Of Fourth Year**

Laughing, Lia and Aisha both stepped through the wall of Platform Nine And Three Quarters. As always, Aisha felt a shock to see the profoundly different world which met her gaze on the other side.

Almost immediately, both felt the stares that struck them at the sight of their school uniforms, trunks and, in Lia's case, the owl that sat in a cage on her trolley. By quick agreement, they put their trunks into locker storage, released the owl into the open air and ducked into the toilets to change into Muggle clothing which they had taken from their trunks.

This done, they headed out of Kings' Cross and past the rows of trains which Aisha would normally have hopped on to head home. They'd not had much chance to discuss their plans on the journey, the entire time being taken up by two debates – one over that year's Quidditch final, Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff. Hufflepuff had won, despite nearly every betting pool giving odds to the contrary. Although both had formidable teams and had entered the final being dead even on points, Hufflepuff had always had the problem of honesty and politeness in their matches, which gave Slytherin in particular the edge over them. Their humility also downplayed any odds of winning. Fortunately, Gryffindor chivalry could count in their favour, especially with the particularly high complement of female players which Hufflepuff had played this year. The final had been gripping, neither side able to achieve many goals, but Albus had been just beaten to the Snitch, although he'd nearly had his arm broken by a Bludger in his valiant attempt.

The other debate hadn't really been a debate. It had concerned the House Cup, which for the first time in several years hadn't automatically gone to the House which won the Quidditch Cup. Hufflepuff would have won, were it not for the last minute removal of points due to the discovery of a group of Hufflepuff bullies. The points had been removed by Professor Samson, the Head of Hufflepuff, no less, effectively handing the Cup to Slytherin.

Hufflepuff, in general, had conceded the defeat with good grace and disgust at those who had ruined their chances. They'd worked hard for those points, and although some were too loyal to their House to criticise the bullies, most applauded Samson's fair-mindedness and wholeheartedly congratulated Slytherin.

Aisha and Lia discussed it for a few moments, and then decided to get on the Tube. Both girls had been warned, by Scorpius and Alice, that Kings' Cross wasn't a great area to walk through, and although the cost of their Underground tickets was annoying, it was another box checked off – neither girl had visited London before; both of them had friends back home who wondered why not, since they passed through at least twice a year, and so they had decided to finally do so.

"Four years," Aisha said wonderingly, after several minutes of silent travel. "Can you believe it?"

They couldn't reference Hogwarts directly, but Lia knew what she meant.

"It seems like only yesterday," she admitted. "Sitting on those boats…"

"I know what you mean," Aisha agreed. "But for me, it sometimes seems like forever. I can't imagine not knowing about it all. And yet, most of my family don't. And that's so strange."

"I hate lying to them," Lia confessed. "My grandfather and I were always so close, but it feels like this is such a rift between us. I told him everything, things that I never even told my parents."

"Well, I don't have that problem," Aisha sighed. "My family….I've always felt different."

Lia put a sympathetic hand on her friend's arm. "Sometimes you can feel loneliest when you're surrounded by people," she said.

"Sometimes you can sound so profound," Aisha told her, then frowned. "But don't feel that you have to comfort me. I'm here to listen to you too, remember."

That was how Lia and Aisha had always built their close friendship. They both spent the majority of their time being the support for other people, listen and sympathising with their sadnesses. Neither really got the chance to explore their own, except with each other. They knew secrets about each other than nobody else did.

On the surface, their friendship was as strange as Rose and Alice's. Quiet, unobtrusive Lia. Popular, intelligent Aisha. But actually, they had a number of similarities. Both had grown up in the Muggle world, both had left friends and families behind, both had been born with religious beliefs that no longer fit the world in which they lived. Both lacked close friends in their House dormitory.

Aisha knew what it was like not to be understood; Lia knew what it was like to feel like an outsider. They both had their sadnesses. But they had happier things in common too; both loved to sing, and their obvious delight in it improved otherwise mediocre voices. Both could outfly several of the boys, to their shock. Both knew the value of listening.

Aisha was startled from her thoughts by the voice over the speaker. They'd been stood in silence for nearly a quarter of an hour. (Stood, not sat. Both had given up their seats to others). "That's our stop," she gasped, nudging Lia. They got off the Tube, and headed up the escalator.

The conversation ebbed and flowed when they reached the surface. Aisha, trying not to look too much like a tourist, had refused to bring a map. But she was grateful to the road signs, which pointed them in the direction of all the landmarks they wanted to see.

Their feet were sore by the end of the day, as they staggered back to Seven Sisters station, the link between the Muggle Tube and the wizarding Floo network and through the Floo, where Dennis Creevey awaited them, ready to take Aisha home by Side-Along Apparition. Despite the numerous Cushioning Charms they had cast on their shoes and the Blister Buster Spell that Alice had found in a book for them, they knew that they would ache tomorrow. But it would be worth it.

They didn't spare a thought for what anyone might have thought of the odd couple. A pair of fourteen year old girls: an Asian girl in a green shalwar kameez and a long-haired blonde in a denim skirt and an old fisherman's jumper, who talked in broken-off sentences and significant looks, who laughed more than spoke, and were silent more than both. Who looked in all the shops on Oxford Street, but only bought a single item – a giant squid-like soft toy from Hamley's.

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**So, the victors were Hufflepuff. And these lyrics were taken from Nice Guys Finish Last, by Green Day.**

**You might have noticed I'm working my way through all the characters in pairs for these end-of-year chapters. Next time, Lorcan and Lysander!**

**Fifth year soon. Exam year!**


	30. The Dream Afraid Of Waking

**Thanks for reading, all of you!**

**An especial thanks for reviewing: silverbirch, Likewow5556, Twisted Identity, Joelle8, Marciabarcia, Doni, Lottie1122, susiipie and Arlath's Daughter**

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**Chapter 30: The Dream Afraid Of Waking**

**End of August 2021 - Returning to School**

"Aisha, post," called her sister. Seventeen years old to Aisha's fifteen, she was rarely to be seen in the house. Her eldest sister, Henna, had already married and moved out. Whether it was to escape her three younger siblings, Aisha didn't know. She never would – she'd been at school when it had happened, a very fast affair, occurring in between one letter and the next.

"Thanks," she replied quickly, getting to her feet to take the letter from Hafsa before she opened it. She quickly brushed a few sheets of paper over her textbook – Charms. They'd been set an absolutely massive workload over the summer, which had proved difficult to do and to hide from her two remaining siblings.

Admittedly, they were hardly ever home, which helped. And if they were, Aisha was more likely to be roped into helping cook or clean. Normally there would only be her mother and her at home, and her mother let her do all the homework she needed, proud of her magical daughter.

If necessary, she would go to the town library. She'd considered Henna's house, but that was no better an option – Henna's new husband didn't know about her magic either. They'd also considered telling Hafsa, but Aisha couldn't quite find the courage. She'd rather take the rolled eyes behind her back about how 'snooty' she was getting at her posh school than the disbelief and probable loss of her sister. Henna had never been the same with her since she had first been told about magic, before Aisha even went to Hogwarts – she'd not outright dismissed Aisha, but there was a bewilderment in her eyes now, at the strange world which Henna couldn't quite accept. Hafsa would be even worse – she was very logical, taking sciences as her A Levels, although she didn't really work that hard in them. Magic didn't exist in her world.

As Aisha ran her hands over the unusually thick paper of the envelope, with its distinctive green ink, she remembered the first time she had received post like this.

_Aged eleven, she'd thought it was a cruel joke from the neighbourhood girls, a way to tell her that she was getting too many pretences above her lot. Then, only an hour before dinner, a tall, rather pretty, man had appeared on the doorstep. Henna had answered the door, whilst Aisha and Hafsa sat in their bedroom, watching the TV, the letter almost forgotten. Tahsib was out with his friends, playing in the street as usual._

_Then she'd been called down, whilst Hafsa had been told in no uncertain terms to stay in her room. She'd entered the sitting room to see the guest sat on the armchair and her parents both sat awkwardly on the sofa, Henna stood nervously by the door. Aisha, on her parents' instruction, sat on one of the dining chairs that were in the room._

_Then she'd watched in confusion as the man withdrew a long stick from his sleeve – not knobbly like the sticks which fell from trees, but so smooth and polished that it almost could have been metal. He murmured some strange words, before replacing the stick in his clothes. _

_Confusion turned gradually to disbelief, and then to shock as he explained again, for her benefit this time, who he was. Where he was from. He demonstrated magic, allowing Aisha's mother to question him, until they were convinced that it wasn't trickery._

_Then he explained that the letter had been real. That Aisha was…could be a witch, like he was a wizard. That she could have all of this power at her disposal, that she could do things of which ordinary people – Muggles – could only dream. _

_If she was allowed to attend a boarding school, far away from her family, her neighbourhood and everything that she had ever known._

_From the instant that she had believed him, Aisha had wanted to go. But she had kept her gaze on the carpet, staring into its weave, wondering if she could separate the strands with the force of her mind. And she'd listened, waiting for both of her parents to bring up objections._

Who will look after her? How do we know she will be safe? How do we know she will be brought up right?

_But maybe they had been convinced by the truth in the man's gaze as much as she had, or the smoothness of his words. And her head jerked up as her father said only three words. "She can go."_

_She'd leapt to her feet, flying across the room to hug both her father and then her mother. She'd started to pack her suitcase that very night, long before the man returned to explain how to get into Diagon Alley, how to enter Platform Nine And Three Quarters. _

_The question that had burned in her mind forever had never been asked. She was far too afraid that if she questioned 'why?', that her parents would change their mind. That this Hogwarts place would change its mind. That she would be found not to have magic._

_She'd refused to eat that evening – in dreams, you always woke before you could bite into food and taste nothing there. Then she'd not wanted to sleep, first on that night and then on her first evening at Hogwarts._

_There had been moments ever since, where she'd suddenly feel that this was all too good to be true. Ironically, she had had nightmares that it had all been a dream. _

This was one of those moments, as she held a heavy badge in her hand. "_Prefect._ _Prefect of a _magic _school' _she thought in wonder. '_Could I ever have predicted that it would come to this.'_

_ehjoewrhwr_

In a land far, far away, someone else sat contemplating the green and silver badge that had arrived in a letter. Lysander ran light fingers over the raised letters on the front.

His mother and father had congratulated him, as had Lorcan. It was strange, to be honest. He'd never received anything different from his twin. To be singled out for this now, made him feel strangely guilty. He knew his conduct over the last four years, and he knew that Lorcan was more deserving. From his letters, he knew who else had received badges, and he couldn't help but feel that others who should have had this honour had missed out.

He'd always felt that Prefects should be welcoming and kind, never saying a bad word about anyone – a description that fit Lorcan far more than him.

"Don't think that," a soft voice said behind him. He startled, and turned.

It was his mother. Despite nearly identical looks, they had never been as close as Lorcan and Luna had. Rolf had tried to make up for that, and Lysander had therefore grown closer to him. Lorcan, in the end, had so much common ground with Luna. Lysander always felt a guilt, especially when he read of his mother's schooltime bravery, that he wasn't more like how her son should be.

"Think what?" he automatically responded.

"You'll make a wonderful Prefect, Sandy," she told him. Only she and Lorcan were allowed to call him that now.

"I know. And thanks," he replied, hiding his thoughts to the contrary, as any normal teenager would.

But Luna wasn't so easily fooled.

"I wasn't a Prefect, you know. But I didn't have what you did. It's a wonderful gift."

"What?" he responded. Monosyllabic answers were all he could give his mother; cryptic phrases were all very well from your twin, but from your mother, they were just annoying. Even worse than his father's 'inspirational' speeches.

"Putting people at ease. I've seen you do it for the new workers here. Don't you think that's a quality that deserves to be a Prefect?"

What could he say to that? He wasn't the type to refute a compliment, even from his mother.

hehewr

Rose's family had thrown her a dinner in celebration of her Prefect badge. It was passed around the table, although it wasn't like Ron and Hermione hadn't seen one before.

To tell the truth, she'd been surprised to get it. Although she knew that her parents expected her to be a Prefect, she also knew that her parents had unrealistic expectations. They didn't realise that the confident girl she could be at home was very different to the withdrawn student who attended Hogwarts. Of course, she got top grades. But did anyone really notice her?

When she got on the train, she found out that Lia hadn't received a Prefect badge, and wasn't all that surprised. Rose at least had the reputation of being super-smart (and a little strange) to bring her to people's attention, even if that reputation could be annoying at times. Lia was, although she hated to think it, invisible. She'd noticed it even in Hufflepuff students like Amy Burke, who surely ought to be considered Lia's friends – they'd be stood in a group, Lia would say something, and the conversation would continue as though the interruption had never happened.

A different girl to Lia might have been upset by it, but if Lia was then she didn't show it.

Albus was very different to Lia, but he, too, did not show any hurt at not being chosen for Prefect. He did have the comfort that neither of his parents had been chosen either, or James – he was too much of a trouble maker, like his namesake.

It was a Potter family tradition, Ginny had joked.

So it had been wholeheartedly that he had congratulated Scorpius – who had been surprised by the badge arriving in his letter. Although he knew that, in general, he got better grades than Albus, and got into less trouble, he would never have expected a Professor to choose him over Albus – although none of the other boys in Gryffindor, if he was honest, were much competition. Wayne was too brash, Gabriel too quiet, Lorcan too…..Lorcan. Which only left the two of them.

It made for an awkward moment, though, when he, Aisha, Lysander and Rose had left the train compartment as soon as they had dumped their trunks in there, having to cut off an otherwise cheerful conversation with Albus about how Victoire had replaced Professor Flitwick as the Charms Professor.

Sometimes, he almost felt glad of his heritage – in the end, it was a way in which Albus could beat him. He didn't know how Rose did it, how she never felt embarrassment about having to tell a friend that she'd beaten them in the test, or if she said she'd done terribly while the friend thought they'd done well, only to discover that their marks had been exactly the same.

Strangely enough, the only students not surprised by who the Prefect Badges had gone to had been those to whom they had not gone. Maybe it was just easier to observe from outside; perhaps none of them had dared to hope. Maybe it was just that none of the eight felt like they deserved a Prefect badge.

We all have our failures after all. If you asked Hermione Granger, famed as the smartest witch of her generation, whether she deserved that name, she'd quickly reply no – after all, there had been that time in fifth year when she'd idiotically mixed up the entirely different runes for flower and mountain (entirely different here meaning that one looked like a fork with the middle prong bent at 45 degrees to the left, and the other like a fork with the middle prong bent at 55 degrees to the left). Or the time in sixth year where she'd been unable to brew a proper antidote. Or the time in third year when she'd stupidly skinned her Shrivelfig instead of peeling it. Or the time…..

**

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**

**Chapter title: Westlife - The Rose**

**I really love the phrase...it describes Aisha to me so much.**

**Anyway, and always, please review.**

**x**


	31. When I Asked For Sons

**Thank you if you reviewed: Marciabarcia, Twisted Identity, shine lots, Likewow5556, susiipie, Doni, Lottie1122, Kitty Bridgeta, silverbirch and Joelle8. **

**WARNING!**

**Author's Note: This chapter is not intended to offend. However, if you are religious, you may find it offensive. I don't write it as an insult to any religion, I myself am Muslim but I am aware that not everyone has the same point of view on joking about God, discussing religion or otherwise. Please don't read it if you think you will be upset by it.**

**But really, I'm fascinated by religion in the Wizarding World. And this chapter is a consideration of that. **

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**Chapter 31: Did They Send Me Daughters, When I Asked For Sons?**

**September 18th - Early In the Fifth Year**

"I don't understand Hogwarts weather," Aisha sighed, stretching out on the grass outside the castle.

Lia shook her head. "It's at least as sunny as you'd expect it to be in Cornwall, but it's so far up north."

"It's sunny now," Rose reminded her. "It gets really cold here too, and it snows more than it does down south."

"Extremes of temperature," Alice mused. "Strange, that."

"Maybe it's the magic?" Rose suggested. "Affecting the weather pattern?"

"Maybe you just have to accept it?" Lysander sighed. "Honestly, the weather in England is so boring, but people always talk about it!"

There were protests at this. "It's not boring," Rose disagreed. "It's so changeable, for one thing."

"And a good, neutral conversation-starter," Aisha added.

"I'll accept that," Lysander agreed.

Scorpius and Albus were the only two out of the eight not there. They were at the Gryffindor Quidditch trials. Roxanne had left last year, walking straight into a job, of sorts. Somehow she'd picked a career even less 'proper' than her parents – she, Dominique and their friend Kate had formed a wizarding band, and were currently recording their first song.

This had left a gap in the Quidditch team, which Hugo was hoping to fill. He wasn't the only one of Weasley blood to have tried out for a Quidditch team that year – a position of Beater had become open on the Slytherin team, and Lily had gone for it.

Their trials had been yesterday. Aisha's influence, and the memory of the Hufflepuff team sweeping to victory last year with little Lia Creevey, had stopped anyone laughing at Lily, who was rather too small (not to mention female, which was unusual) to be a Beater. The reminder of Lia, another deceptively vicious player, had been enough for them to give her a chance. She'd played excellently, and would be given a place on the team, not that she knew yet, since the Slytherin team captain had posted the list only half an hour ago.

"Why do you want a conversation, anyway?" Rose asked Aisha. "Don't you have a letter to write?"

"That's what I need distracting from," Aisha murmured. "I don't know what to say in this letter." She regarded the pad of letter paper on her lap irritably. She'd had to smuggle in both the normal paper and the ballpoint pen with which she was writing. It wasn't that she didn't like using parchment and quill (although ink-pots were incredibly impractical, not to mention impossible to balance anywhere). Quite the contrary. She loved the feel of them. But it would raise unnecessary questions if anyone who didn't know she went to a wizarding school (the majority of her family) received a letter on it.

"Who are you writing to?" Alice asked.

"My cousin." Aisha said. "She's getting married next summer, and I'm writing a letter to explain why I can't be there. I don't think 'doing my OWLs' is an acceptable excuse, either."

"Quite a close family, aren't you?" Lysander asked. "Despite being big?"

It was an odd thing about the eight of them. They either had huge, extended families like the Weasleys or Aisha, or hardly any family at all, with only-child parents who were part-orphan, more often that not, like Alice, Lia or the twins. Scorpius was the only one with parents even near the average number of siblings, and with a full complement of grandparents, even if he didn't see them all that often.

"We all live near to each other too," Aisha explained. "And although my cousin was closest to my sister, since they're near in age, she wanted me to be there as well."

"Your sister Henna, you mean?"

"No. Hafsa."

The tone of Aisha's voice suggested that the topic was closed. But Rose didn't notice, and blundered straight in.

"Isn't she only seventeen? Is that legal in the Muggle world? You need parental consent at that age, for wizards."

"My cousin's actually eighteen. She's an early birthday. And there's parental consent alright – the marriage is arranged."

"Is that a Muslim thing?" Rose asked. "Isn't it a bit weird?"

Lia and Alice could both have wept tears of frustration. Sometimes, it seemed that Rose had inherited her father's lack of tact when she was seeking satisfaction to her curiosity. At other times, you wondered if Albus was actually Ron's son, because he was equally hopeless.

They'd considered it a Weasley trait, until Lily had come to Hogwarts and shown herself to be far more diplomatic than either of these two relatives of hers.

"No!" Aisha snapped. "It's not anything to do with Islam, it's to do with the culture."

'_For a non-believer, you still defend your religion quite fiercely,' _she thought to herself. She'd not considered herself Muslim for years now. Every summer when she went home, she'd meet her old friends, who'd more often than not be wearing hijabs and were surprised at her lack of one. But her parents didn't mind that she didn't, and she felt like a fraud in one. Magic had never fit into the world that her religion had painted for her, and the discovery of it had shaken her faith. Then the separation from all of the rites and rituals had only done more to weaken it. '_It's a matter of them knowing the right things' _she told herself, although the words were a little hollow. Some things were just ingrained.

"I always thought that magic would strengthen the case for religion," Lorcan said. Aisha glanced at him, startled. It sometimes seemed as though the Gryffindor could read minds.

"Why?" Lysander said doubtfully.

This wasn't the first time they'd raised the subject of religion. Lysander was always Devil's Advocate – he'd disagree with whoever was in the majority. Albus refused to comment, having no experience of any religion. Scorpius, as he found out more about religion in the Muggle world, mainly the wars that were fought in its name, became very against it.

"There are enough ways to divide people," he'd said. "Why do Muggles try to invent another one?"

It was lucky that Albus and Scorpius weren't there – they would always try to kill the conversation dead. The others liked the debate, although for different reasons and to different extents.

Rose had vague ideas of Protestantism, from her mother and her mother's mother. But they were very vague, in fact only existing in the sense that she knew of the idea of God, Heaven, Hell – and that was about all. She liked the topic, because it fed her curiosity.

"Lots of Muggles think that God is impossible. And they – practically always the same ones - think that magic is impossible. Two impossible things...if magic is true, why not God?" Alice replied.

"Improbable," Lysander corrected. "Magic isn't impossible, it can't be."

Alice and Lysander loved this conversation for the argument of it. You could argue that it was because they both liked the sound of their own voices – and to an extent, that would be true. But Lysander liked that it applied to humans, to real life, and disliked philosophising beyond that.

Alice, on the other hand, loved it. It didn't seem like a Ravenclaw trait at first, until you remembered that the House turned out not only the best researchers but the best philosophers. They were reflections of each other, in the end, and maybe best represented by Alice and Rose. Rose loved evidence, proof, knowledge. Alice too loved knowledge, but she loved the subjective side of things too, the double meanings and the wriggly thinking.

If you had stood them both before the bronze eagle which admitted you into the Ravenclaw common room, it would have been a long time before a question came that neither could answer, either by Rose's encyclopedic knowledge and analytical brain or by Alice's riddling mind and capacity for reason.

"I'd agree," Lia said softly. "Magic only makes God more likely, not less."

"But most of the major world religions don't believe in magic," Lysander reminded them. "Not our sort, at least."

"Minor ones do, though," Lorcan said. "Mystics, shamans."

Throughout their childhood, the twins had met many of this sort. Hermits for the most part, or at least those living in remote areas. Some had even recognised the Scamanders for what they were, which hadn't surprised Lorcan or his mother. Others, to Lorcan, had seemed so magical that they were indistinguishable from the real wizards who they met on their travels.

Lia, raised with RE lessons at Muggle primary school, by a weakly Jewish mother, a weakly Catholic grandfather and a father without any particular religion, probably knew the most. But she hesitated to speak on the topic, although it fascinated her – she was too worried about offending anyone. She was technically Jewish, since it went down the female line, and had certainly never had much of a fuss made over Christmas other than the fact it was the time when she could go home from Hogwarts and see her family.

"Religion isn't anything to do with reason," Aisha said. "It's basically about faith. Nobody ever logically decided that there was a God."

"Um, they did." Rose said. "I've read about Muggle philosophers and people who thought it through."

"They were religious before they did that though," Lysander argued.

"It depends on what you mean by religion," Alice added. "Do you mean the typical God – all-powerful, who loves us and created us etcetera etcetera?"

"Or just a higher being?" Lia agreed.

"Lily!" Aisha suddenly exclaimed, seeing the younger girl approach. "Have you checked the noticeboard?"

Lily nodded, trying to restrain the smile on her face but failing. "I got in," she said simply, and was immediately surrounded by congratulations, although Aisha, Lysander and Lia had already known. They'd agreed to let Lily tell the others though, especially Scorpius and Albus, if they ever turned up.

"Come on, sit down," Lia encouraged, as Lily was hovering uncertainly on the edge of the group. At the invitation, she joined the six of them, sprawled as they were in the sunshine by the lake.

"Talking about anything interesting?" she asked.

"Religion, God and faith," Lorcan summarised for her.

She nodded. "I wonder what House he'd be in," she mused.

"Sometimes, you can be practically as random as Lorcan," Alice told her, but she was clearly already considering it.

"Not a Gryffindor," Rose said. "Not the traditional God, anyway."

"If you're a Christian though, Christ might be." Lia pointed out.

"True, although all of his apostles and martyrs would be Hufflepuffs," Alice agreed. "Dying for someone – how much more loyal can you get?"

"Well, it's a bit overly noble too," Lily argued. "That makes them Gryffindor."

"That's quite accurate," Lorcan said, one of the few Gryffindors ever to admit that particular failing. "But you're still not talking about God."

"Ravenclaw?" Lysander asked. "He _is _all-knowing, after all."

"And if He created everything, he must have had wit and logic," Alice agreed. "You just have to look around to see that."

Alice knew that this conversation would offend many people, more than the other pure-blood wizards probably realised. But Lia had taken part, so she presumably wasn't offended. Besides, Alice reasoned, if God existed, He'd created humour. And it would be rude not to utilise one of his gifts, surely?

Lysander raised his eyebrows. "It takes some ambition to decide that you're going to create a universe," he pointed out. "And some cunning to manipulate so many people into following you."

"You're saying that God is a Slytherin?" Alice asked, amused at the idea.

"God is all of them," Aisha interrupted. "If he existed, He'd be everything. Merciful and vengeful, strong and loving. That's the point."

She was tense. She didn't like this part of the discussion about God as much as she did the general reasoning over his existence. She didn't know why – it just seemed more…..disrespectful, to joke about him rather than to wonder if he was real.

Lily watched the others talk, smiling and letting them do so. She caught Aisha's eye, who smiled. She smiled in response, but it was brief. She knew what Aisha was thinking.

'_She's thinking that I'm doing what I always do in conversations, keeping my distance. I know that she thinks I'd have millions of friends if I'd just let my paranoia slide. But she doesn't realise. I've never really gone off on her like I have Lorcan, Lysander or Alice. I'm only nice and friendly if I don't know you, or don't like you. Once we make friends, I end up venting all of my bad moods and frustration at all the other idiots – the ones I'm nice to – straight at you. Even if it's not your fault. And that drives my friends away. So I have to keep my distance, or you'll end up hating me. And I can't not do it. I've never done so to Aisha, because it just seems impossible. She's so accommodating! The same with Lia – she flinches and apologises in such a frustrating way if I even snap at her a little bit, that I think I've scared her. And that upsets me, so I don't dare do it. Which makes me more annoyed – which makes me a great Beater, incidentally. And it leaves me yelling at people I do like and feel comfortable around. Not Rose – she's my cousin, in the end, and I want her to think the best of me. Al's my brother. He's just annoying. I don't know Scorpius all that well. But the twins bear the brunt of it, along with Alice and the few friends I've managed to pick up in my own year. They do really well – I suppose that that's how they've stuck by me, they can cope with quite a few rages. Or they have no choice. '_

Her friends in her own year were few indeed - they were only two. Hufflepuff Henry and fellow Slytherin Serafina, Henry was too easy-going to notice her rages and Serafina would, like Lysander, just let her rage herself out or insert a few pointed comments that deflated her immediately by making her laugh.

* * *

**Chapter title from I'll Make A Man Out Of You - Disney.**

**Once again, not meant to offend. Reading over, 'all of the rites and rituals' sounds particularly rude, but it's really not meant to be. It's how I think of them - they settle the mind, and put believers into the right state of thought to pray or consider God. In my opinion.**


	32. Ever Wished For An Endless Night

**I know that in Harry's time, there isn't a Christmas Ball other than the Yule Ball with the Triwizard Tournament. But twenty years ago in the Muggle world, we didn't have proms either, and now everyone does. It's natural progression. **

**Thanks for reviewing: Likewow5556, silverbirch, Joelle8, Arlath's Daughter, Doni, susiipie, Twisted Identity, Marciabarcia and SKLBug210.**

**I'm glad I didn't upset anyone with the religion!**

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**Chapter 32: Have You Ever Wished For An Endless Night**

**December 20th -The Christmas Ball**

Christmas was approaching, the feeling of it fully in the air. Intricate wreaths hung along various walls, and a gigantic Christmas tree had been put up in the Hall.

For most of the fifth-years, however, only one topic was on their mind. For the past few years, there had been a Christmas Ball, exclusively for fifth years and their dates. It was a version of the party which the seventh years had at the end of the year, and the corridors were buzzing with news about it.

This was annoying to a few – Lia and Lorcan amongst them, neither of whom cared all that much. Although she insisted that she was more bothered about the approaching (six months away) OWLs, Rose was unable to affect the same unconcern - Alice's anticipation was far too contagious.

Lysander didn't have a choice but to be enthusiastic. Or a choice about who to bring. His girlfriend of the moment, an outwardly peaceable but occasionally forceful Hufflepuff named Abbey was definite on that.

Scorpius and Albus saw the party in a different way – James had promised to smuggle in some real alcohol in for them, not just the Butterbeers and watered down Plimpy's Punch that Hogwarts provided.

It was only a fortnight before Christmas when Alice discovered that Lia wasn't intending to come. Lorcan had no choice, since his brother was staying at Hogwarts, but Lia did, and she planned to be one of the very, very few fifth-year students who would go home that year with the rest.

The party was held on the first Saturday after all of the other students had departed, and after that, on the Sunday evening, carriages could take students to Hogsmeade station so that they could get home for Christmas Day.

These arguments were those presented to Lia; Aisha, although she had known for months that Lia had no intention of attending the Christmas Ball, hadn't bothered to try convince her friend to do anything else. She had instead, in true Slytherin fashion, passed the news on to Lysander, who would tell Alice, who would tackle the problem for her.

"I won't enjoy it," Lia protested, as Alice tried again to convince her. The three girls were sat in their Charms class, the only one which Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw shared.

"And without you, neither will we," Alice argued. Lia protested against this, even as she glowed with the compliment.

In the end, Alice was incredibly empathetic. She could put herself in almost anyone's place – it was part of what made her so appealing, the fact that she could know what someone would want her to do in that moment. She didn't often use her talent to be kind to people though, with the exception of her closest friends.

"I mean it," Alice assured her. "You're my best friends." She glanced at Rose too, including her in the compliment. "Hogwarts wouldn't feel like home without you two here."

Rose scowled, however. She'd heard Alice's pretty words before, and they had been little comfort when her supposed best friend had been off having fun with other friends. "So?" she challenged. "You'll spend the whole time with your latest boyfriend."

Alice was startled by the unexpected direction from which the argument had come, but recovered herself quickly.

"No, I won't." She replied. "I'm not bringing a date. We'll go as a group of girls, and dance together."

The word 'dance' had very different effects on the other two. Rose, who for all her Quidditch prowess was uncoordinated on the ground, a result of growth spurts too frequent for her balance to keep up. Lia, on the other hand, had been a dancer throughout most of her youth. She was good enough for that to be the lie that many family friends had been told for her yearly absences, that she had won a dance scholarship to a prestigious boarding school.

"Really?" Lia said doubtfully. Her trust was remarkably low, for a Hufflepuff. Although she did have Slytherin friends – that might account for it.

"Of course," Alice shrugged. "I did the date thing last year. It's seriously not as fun that way." Sensing a near victory, she leaned forward. "So, will you come?"

Aisha wasn't surprised by Lia's capitulation, although she was by Alice's agreement not to bring a date. She was slightly relieved by this. Although most people didn't actually have dates to the prom at this young age, a few still wanted them and she fully expected that nobody would have ever asked her.

Then, of course, there was the next problem – what to wear. Alice wanted them all to match, like many partners would. Aisha emphatically refused, and pointed out that they would be unable to agree on a colour, especially because it would no doubt end up being a House colour, which would only provoke further objections.

Which gave Rose her idea.

"The Not-House colours?" Aisha asked, confused. "What are they?"

"The colours that you never see at Hogwarts, of course! Everyone forgets that we don't live in a world with four colours, or eight at the most."

So it was that they disappeared on the Saturday of the prom to don very unique colours. They'd got their dresses and dress robes in different ways, Alice changing the colour of a dress she treasured, Lia borrowing one of her mother's and Aisha and Rose going shopping on one of their weekends in Hogsmeade.

Alice and Aisha had both chosen their colours quickly. They'd fought over the same colours, in fact; pink and purple. In the end, they tossed a coin, Alice ending up with pink, which she now wore in a dress so tight that any sort of breathing must have been impossible, and Aisha with purple, which she wore short-sleeved and covered with a little gold cardigan, and golden accessories in her hair.

Rose had chosen her dress robe rather than its colour, and brought it back with Aisha's approval. Although Alice (who wasn't a fan of dress robes at the best of times, preferring the more modern, Muggle-style dresses which had entered the market) had been dismissive at first, when she saw it on, she had to admit herself wrong.

Shimmering brown silk, when draped over Rose's slim frame, it was breath-taking. And after Alice had pinned and arranged her curls until they fountained from a point high on her head, even the cattiest girls in the year had to reluctantly compliment her.

There was nothing in any of the shops for Lia, nothing nice and affordable at any rate. She received her mother's dress by Owl Post, but didn't know what to do with it then.. Alice's magic and Rose's creativity came to the rescue. Lysander tried to help, but all the boys had been told that they weren't allowed to see the girls' dresses before. It was a salmon-pink dress, which might have looked nice against her mothers darker complexion, but would look silly next to Lia's tanned skin and yellow hair.

Alice, however, had hung around dressmaker's shops from a young age, and knew all the altering charms that could be performed on an outfit. She shortened the dress to a still-modest knee-length, approved of the neckline, shortened the sleeves and as a final touch, changed it to white to give her some inspiration for colour scheme. Maybe they could do a pattern.....but it wasn't necessary. The white gleamed against Lia's skin, and with the addition of her blonde hair, she could have been an angel.

Thus it was that they drew more than a few stares as they entered the Great Hall, also transformed for the evening's festivities.

A band had been booked for the evening, the actually famous boy band, Alchemy.

To the slight surprise of her friends and the greater surprise of many others, Alice danced the entire first half of the night exclusively with other girls. Even in the couples only dances, she grabbed one of her three friends, although Aisha was rarely free from other suitors, and whirled around the floor with them.

Finally, only an hour before the end of the night, Rose told her to go and dance with somebody else. She glanced at Lorcan, who'd barely danced all night, and took his hand. He didn't seem surprised, but moved with her out to the dance floor. Lysander followed suit, his date having decided to take a brief rest, and took Lia's hand. This left Scorpius and Albus with Aisha and Rose. Albus, not about to dance with his cousin, looked at Aisha, and managed to mumble something about 'will you dance with me', although it came out more as 'dwandanwime' She accepted, however, even though she had had more courteous offers that night. Scorpius and Rose, partners by default, followed them, and the last couples' dance of the night was danced.

Rose and Scorpius made an odd pair - she towered over him by at least a foot, whilst Albus and Aisha did more awkward swaying and stepping on each other's feet than any sort of dancing.

Lorcan and Alice were visually beautiful, both good looking, but contrasts in every other way, from her loose pale blonde curls to his spiky brown hair and her almost translucent skin with his weathered brown. But they danced well together, both seeming thoroughly absorbed in their motions and each other.

It was Lia and Lysander, however, who were the most striking. Lysander, like his brother, had some basic sense of rhythm which Albus lacked and Lia, despite trying to be inconspicuous about it, could not dance any worse than she was trained to.

All too soon for some, the dance came to an end, only to segue into old classics, both Muggle and magic, that involved groups. They danced for the next hour solid, doing the Cha Cha Slide, the Wand Swivel, the Macarena and the Time Turner Warp. They even formed what the Muggleborns called a Conga Line, and the wizarding children called a Serpent Sortie.

Christmas songs began, and they all joined in with the actions for the Twelve Days of Christmas. It was all Aisha could do not to laugh, as she saw even the normally dignified Professors act out 'Twelve ghosts-a-gliding' or pretend to gallop for 'Three centaurs.' By the last line, even those who hadn't known the words to begin with were shouting out 'and A Giant Squid i-in the Lake!', waving their arms in the air.

When the clock struck one, it was eight very happy teenagers who returned to their beds. The boys were fortunate – they didn't have much to strip off. The girls, however, were not. Although James had been caught with the smuggled alcohol, the Butterbeer, when combined with the sheer hilarity of their evening, along with their exhaustion, proved strong enough to destabilize them. Several went to bed with make-up not fully removed, hair styles not fully deconstructed and dresses thrown carelessly over the doors of their wardrobes or the end of their beds.

* * *

**Chapter title from Pink - Glitter In The Air**

**Sorry for the large amount of description and insufficient dialogue in this chapter - I promise more next time.**

**x**


	33. I'll Be By Your Side

**Thanks for reading and especially reviewing: anamolly2013, Twisted Identity, Doni, silverbirch, Likewow5556, Joelle8, Kitty Bridgeta, Marciabarcia and susiipie.**

**A really long chapter this time! **

**A reminder about the Professors I am about to include:**

**Victoire Weasley - Charms Professor  
Leda Boot - Flying Coach  
Samuel Samson - Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor - Head of Hufflepuff  
Adrian Pucey - Ancient Runes Professor - Head of Slytherin  
Redetta Adams - Hogwarts Headmistress  
Aurora Sinistra - Astronomy Professor - Deputy Head of Slytherin  
Michael Corner - Potions Professor - Head of Ravenclaw  
Katie Bell - Transfiguration Professor - Deputy Head of Gryffindor  
Neville Longbottom - Herbology Professor - Head of Gryffindor**

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**Chapter 33: I'll Be By Your Side, You Know I'll Take Your Hand**

**March 6th 2023: A Gryffindor-Slytherin Accident**

Once upon a time, a Gryffindor-Slytherin match was cause for the Hospital Wing to start preparing the beds for the inevitable flood of pre-match, post-match and during-match cursing. Nowadays, that wasn't as much of a problem. The inclusion of girls on the Slytherin team helped – noble Gryffindor boys just couldn't hex a girl, and noble Gryffindor girls had better ideas for helping their team succeed.

Hostilities between the two Houses weren't what they once were, either. Not to say that the corridors didn't echo with taunts, or that bets weren't laid with fair-minded Hufflepuffs. And they weren't as relaxed about it all that Aisha, Scorpius and Albus could sit and eat breakfast together before they went out to play.

Instead, Aisha sat with Lia, who always supported Slytherin, Alice, who switched so often but was here for Lily and Lysander, Lysander himself and Lily, who was preparing for her third Quidditch match. She'd already helped win the match against Hufflepuff, and proved that she'd pull no punches against her relatives by aiming several Bludgers towards Rose in the Ravenclaw match. Sadly, that match had been lost by the last minute snatching of the Snitch from Aisha. Now, however, she had to contend against a team stocked almost entirely of her family – Albus as Seeker, Lucy and Molly as Beaters, James and Hugo as Chasers. It was better than it would have been a year or two ago, when there had been an all-Weasley team. Now Dominique had been replaced by Branwen Kendrick. And Fred by Scorpius, but that didn't help. Scorpius was honorary family to her by now.

Slytherin wanted to win this match. They wanted to win the Championship this year. Every other House had won in the last four years but them. The more mentally able – or more committed – of them had worked out that if they won by a fifty point margin, they were in the final. Any less and it would depend on Gryffindor's performance against Hufflepuff. Gryffindor had already won against Ravenclaw. If they beat Hufflepuff too, it would be a Gryffindor-Ravenclaw final.

The Gryffindor team was also gathered around one table, extra chairs drawn up as James gave them a last minute speech. Rose supported Gryffindor if Ravenclaw weren't playing – it was her concession to being a Weasley.

Then it was time for the match. And it turned out that the Hospital Wing should have prepared after all.

"Aaaand Siddiqui!" the commentator, Robert Jordan called out. He commentated most of the matches though a new rule which stopped you from commentating matches involving your own House (bias was inevitable, and Professors had grown bored with having to yank the microphone away from student commentators) meant that others sometimes took over.

The match was on. Scorpius hovered round the goals, easily stopping the first few attacks from the Slytherin chasers. The Slytherin Keeper, however, was not so fortunate and "ten-zero, to Gryffindor!" soon echoed round the pitch.

Ten minutes later and the score was fifty-ten, the Slytherin Beaters and Chasers having worked together to stop Scorpius from saving the goal.

Aisha and Albus kept half an eye on the game, half an eye on each other and the other eye scanning the pitch. Bored of sitting in one position, Aisha began to fly in lazy circles around the pitch, noticing that Albus turned an extra half-eye to watch her. Suddenly she accelerated, and he twisted his broom to follow her – only for her to loop around and head for where she'd seen the Snitch, annoying close to him. But it had darted out of sight, and she settled in one spot again.

Unfortunately, as the Snitch stayed stubbornly out of sight, the score difference increased. Scorpius was a superb Keeper, and the three Gryffindor Chasers still worked as a seamless team. This being Hugo's first year, he was slightly a weak link, but James had enough experience and Branwen enough skill to more than make up for that.

There was a hundred and forty points between them now. 'One hundred and seventy to thirty' Jordan called. 'Siddiqui better catch the Snitch now, or she'll be too late!'

_Thanks for the comment, but I already knew that, _Aisha thought irritably. She flicked an annoyed glare at the commentator's box and saw, out of the corner of her eye, Albus diving. She twisted her broom towards him.

Lily, who had been hurtling towards the goal rings so that she could distract Scorpius with a Bludger the instant a Slytherin Chaser aimed for goal, saw the movement. Not slowing her broom, she turned to look. Aisha wouldn't get there in time, unless..

There was a Bludger quite nearby. She accelerated, changing her course slightly, and hit it with all her might towards her brother. Albus didn't even see it coming, and it hit his shoulder, forcing his broom to spin until he was hanging upside down. Aisha shot past him and grabbed the Snitch, winning the match for Slytherin, but Lily's attention was somewhere else now.

Along with rotating the broom, the Bludger had knocked one of Al's hands from his broom, and he had slipped. He was now dangling from just one arm that clung to his broom. From the Gryffindor goal, Scorpius was watching just as intently, worried about his best friend. Thankfully, Al's broom was one of the newest, and responded to his voice command – namely, 'Go Down!'. It was obeying, and slowly lowering Albus to the floor, although his fingers were slipping and Scorpius wished it would hurry up.

Unfortunately, he should have been paying more attention to someone else's predicament – his own. Lily hadn't changed her course after hitting the Bludger, too focused on watching Albus. But the new direction brought her directly in line with the goal rings. And she hadn't slowed her speed yet.

She crashed into Scorpius before she even realised she was going to. Scorpius had realised a split second earlier, but too late to react.

The impact pushed Scorpius right off his broom, and he was carried forward with Lily and her broom. Being a Keeper, he'd only been a few metres from the goal ring, and now they both collided with it. Scorpius' arm and Lily's head both made a horrible noise as they hit the metal, but that wasn't their greatest problem – Lily's broom had been at the wrong angle to go through the hoop, and as her body went limp with unconsciousness, the broom stayed on one side of the Quidditch ring. And their bodies fell through the other.

Like Lily and Scorpius had been, everyone was too focused on the little drama going on at the other side of the pitch to notice them. Al's fingers had finally slipped from the broom only a metre or so from the ground, but Madam Boot still insisted on checking him over for his small scrapes and bruises, whilst the Slytherin team was quietly delighted, but growing louder, over winning the match.

It was amazing how quickly you could fall. _Time is supposed to slow down at moments like this! _Scorpius thought desperately as he realised that Lily, with her lack of consciousness, would be of no help. But time seemed to be speeding up at an equal rate to their fall and Scorpius, his arm in too bad a shape for him to get his wand, did the only thing he could, and the first thing a Gryffindor would do. He hugged Lily to him so that he would break her fall and closed his eyes as the ground came up to meet them.

* * *

It would be nice if this part could be begun with 'the first thing Scorpius saw when he opened his eyes', but his eyes were not yet open. Nor were Lily's. Albus, who had been forced into a chair by Madam Pomfrey so that she could check him over once she was finished with the other two, did have his eyes open. As did the rest of the people in the Hospital Wing, which seemed to include half the school. Professor Bell had been first to notice the pair falling, but only an instant before they hit the ground.

She had been first on the scene, closely followed by Professor Corner and Professor Weasley, all three of them pale-faced with shock. Victoire performed a charm to freeze them both in the positions they were in before Lily away with her wand. The Petrification was necessary – from the way Scorpius was lying, he had broken his spine.

By this point, the other Professors had noticed, as had the crowd of Quidditch players who had gathered around Albus, Aisha and the Snitch. As the teams noticed the crumpled shapes in Quidditch robes, they checked who was there and who wasn't. And hearts stopped as they came to the realisation. Without a word, every Weasley on the Gryffindor team ran towards the Professors, their team-mate and their relative. The Slytherin team members had a better idea. They remounted brooms and flew there, following the Professors by air as they levitated the two injured players away.

Up in the stands, realisation had come sooner. Lia was already pushing her way though the Hufflepuff crowd, followed by Louis. In the Ravenclaw stand, both Alice and Rose were on their feet, one wearing a green scarf, one in a red scarf but both watching their friends, frozen with horror.

Professors stood at the exits to the stands, preventing any students from leaving and swelling the already-large crowd trailing Lily and Scorpius. Rose and Alice, recovering, pushed their way to the front of the crowd where they were recognised and allowed past. Lia and Louis were allowed past too, and all of them hurried after the procession of Quidditch players.

By the time they reached the Hospital Wing, the two were already laid on beds, Madam Pomfrey darting between them.

Professor Adams swept into the room. "Everybody out!" she ordered. A few Quidditch players obeyed her. The others stayed stubbornly. "That means all of you, just for a few minutes."

Still silent, they were ushered out. Professors Bell, Weasley, Longbottom, Corner and Pucey were still there. Neville and Adrian Pucey had followed the others, as it was members of their Houses concerned.

"Neville, if you could contact Mr and Mrs Malfoy. There's a Floo in Madam Pomfrey's office. And Adrian-"

"Headmistress, I'll tell Lily's parents. I'm family. They- it'd be better." Victoire spoke up, her gaze moving from Lily's motionless body for the first time.

"Why don't you talk to Ginny, and Adrian to Harry? Ginny's out with Luna and Hermione today and Harry at Ron's." Neville reminded her. He knew Harry wouldn't want his niece to see him as he received news this bad.

Professor Adams glanced from face to face and nodded as they all showed agreement to this plan and as one rushed into Madam Pomfrey's office.

"Katie, if you could go inform the rest of Gryffindor. Contact Aurora and get her to do the same for Slytherin. Michael, your own House will be needing you. If you see Samuel, tell him the same, otherwise I'll let him know."

"And say what, Headmistress? To our pupils." It was Professor Bell.

"Tell them that Mr Malfoy and Miss Potter were in a collision, and are injured. It's all we know right now. Try to reassure them without outright lying."

Both of the professors winced at the implications of that statement – that most reassurance would be lying.

"Poppy?" Professor Adams finally asked. "How are they?"

"Not good," Madam Pomfrey said. "Miss Potter here is the best off. Other than the head injury, she's fine. There doesn't seem to be any brain damage from the head injury either, though it's hard to tell whilst she's unconscious. That is the main issue, that she is still unconscious."

"And Mr Malfoy?"

"His spine is broken. I can fix that, but if it was moved at all after it broke….His right shoulder is dislocated, also from the impact, I'd say. His right leg is fractured in two places. He has internal bleeding and his left arm is broken – I think he must have hit the hoop on the way down. I can fix all of that, if the spine is alright. But I can't risk it until I know about the spine."

Professor Adams flinched. "How long until you do?" she asked.

"Until he wakes up, I'm afraid. Theoretically, I should have mended his spine. But I can't know if it's in the right alignment until he wakes up and tells me if he can feel it." Madam Pomfrey glanced at the office, where a green glow marked the last of the Professors departing to tell the news. "I know I'll have to tell them the medical information, but I'm glad not to be in any of their shoes, giving Potter or Malfoy this news. I've had both of them in my care often enough to know that they don't deserve to see their children in such a state."

"Some would say that Draco Malfoy deserves it."

"Some would say that witchcraft is evil!" The nurse snapped, with a fire in her tone that belied her motherly exterior. "Some people are wrong. Nobody should look at that young boy and say that he deserves to have that happen for what his father did. Or even that his father deserves it to happen to him. Politics are left at the door of this Hospital Wing. I hated the Death Eaters as much as anyone, and it was terrible to watch those poor students suffer when they controlled the school, but Draco Malfoy was a student like any other." Madam Pomfrey huffed and held Professor Adams' gaze.

"How did young Malfoy end up with so much worse injuries than Miss Potter?" Adams inquired mildly.

Slightly confused by the change in subject, Madam Pomfrey frowned. "I think he broke her fall," she admitted. "She was definitely unconscious during the fall, but she was found on top of him. It could only have happened if he pulled her there."

"They don't exaggerate about Gryffindors, do they?"

"Not at all."

* * *

Never in a million years would Neville have predicted having to do this. He knew both he and Malfoy had changed from the eleven year old who had used the Half Body-Bind against him, or the boy who hadn't fought back. Not that that made him any less nervous.

He stepped out of the Floo into the luxurious receiving room at the new Malfoy Manor. They had Draco Malfoy on the school files as doing most of his work at home. Doing Merlin knows what – no, actually. That was what Scorpius had written down on the 'employment' section of his school files. It was something to do with money, and Arithmancy.

A house-elf approached him. "Good afternoon, sir. How can Prilly be helping you today?"

"I need to speak to Mr and Mrs Malfoy, please. Straight away."

"Right this ways, sir." The house-elf had obviously recognised something in his tone, because she escorted him straight through long corridors to a huge room, where Astoria was reading a book on a couch and Draco was crouched over another fireplace, clearly lighting the fire.

Draco rose to his full height as Prilly introduced him. "Thank you, Prilly. That'll be all," he said curtly, looking slightly defensive at being found in such a domestic position.

The house-elf curtsied and left. Neville followed her exit with his gaze, not wanting to give the news he had to.

"She's free, Longbottom. If you're here to check up on that for Granger, we're not oppressing her. She gets Sundays off and five Galleons a week. Happy?"

"Yes...no- dammit Malfoy!" he snapped, already irritated just by his old enemy's tone. "I'm not here about your house-elf."

"Then what does bring you to grace this den of iniquity with your saintly presence," Draco inquired sharply.

"Scorpius," Neville said bluntly.

There was a dull thump from behind Draco as Astoria dropped her book, and any pretence she had had of reading it.

"What did he do, get a detention?" Draco snapped, even as his senses told him that the grim expression on Longbottom's face and the tone of his voice meant something entirely different.

"He's in the Hospital Wing. He was injured today- there was a Quidditch match."

"We know," Astoria interrupted coldly. "We do cast an occasional eye towards what our only child might be doing." She had risen and come to stand by Draco.

"Injured?" Draco asked blankly. "Injured how?"

"Badly. He collided with another player and fell from his broom from the height of the Quidditch ring."

Draco had heard enough. His face tight and grey, he wheeled towards the fireplace he had been lighting only moments before. Tossing in a handful of Floo powder, he stepped in and was gone.

Neville blinked, surprised. "That was quick," he mumbled.

Astoria fixed him with a hard look. "Slytherins aren't known for defensive behaviour, but they are for family loyalty. Draco loves Scorpius very much, Longbottom. As do I. He was injured under your care. If I find it was your fault – I was a Ravenclaw. I know a lot of spells." She left that threat hanging as she, too, stepped through the fireplace and shouted "Hogwarts Hospital Wing!"

* * *

When Ginny, Hermione and Luna went shopping, it was always interesting. They generally ended up not doing much shopping, but first getting their hair cut and then stopping at the first café and having hours of talk. It was too complex otherwise – they didn't exactly have the same places on their list of where they wanted to go.

Luckily, Victoire knew this. She also knew their favourite cafes – so she found them almost straight away.

"Victoire?" Hermione asked in surprise, noticing her niece come rushing through the door. "Are you alright?"

Victoire waited until she was closer to the others. The last thing she wanted as to shout it across the busy café. "Lily's hurt," she said softly, so only the three women could hear. "She was in a Quidditch accident. You need to come to the Hospital Wing now."

Ginny was up like a shot, and running towards the counter, where she proceeded to force the man there to let her use the fireplace. Hermione glanced at Victoire and Luna. "I should-" she began.

Both of them nodded. "Go with her," Luna urged.

As Hermione followed Ginny, Victoire picked up the bags they had discarded. "Would you come with me?" she asked Luna. "I have to tell the rest of the family."

With Luna's agreement, they left money and abandoned drinks on the table and left.

* * *

When Ginny, Hermione and Luna went shopping, Ron, Rolf and Harry stayed at home. They used to be looking after the children. Now they were just hanging out. Rolf and Harry couldn't always be there – their work had a habit of calling them away at odd times, and on this occasion it was just Ron and Harry. They were sitting at Ron's, chatting and cooking – it had become tradition that while the women were out, the men would prepare a feast for them when they got back.

It was this scene into which Adrian Pucey stumbled. "Mr Potter!" he called. "Harry Potter!"

Only just hearing him over the sound of WWN, Harry frowned. "What the-" he began.

Ron shrugged. "Dunno. The only people with access to this place are Luna or Weasleys."

This was mostly true – apart from Hogwarts had Floo-access to the home of any of their students.

Shutting down the fire under the pan for a moment, Harry and Ron left the kitchen and came face to face with the intruder.

"Can I help you?" Ron asked, slightly angry that a complete stranger had wandered into his home.

"Hang on, you look sort of familiar," Harry frowned at him.

"Mr Potter?" Pucey turned to him. "I'm Professor Adrian Pucey, your daughter's Head of House."

"You were on the Slytherin Quidditch team," Ron realised, just as Harry said,

"Lily? Is everything alright?"

"I'm very sorry, but she's been involved in a Quidditch accident and she's injured."

Completely the opposite of during the accident – time froze for Harry and Ron.

"How badly?" Harry croaked.

"She's unconscious in the Hospital Wing at this moment. If you'd follow me…."

"Ginny? Does Ginny know?" Harry asked.

"Your niece has gone to tell her."

Ron grabbed a chair and put it behind Harry, just in time for him to sink into it.

"Lily….." Harry said slowly. "My little girl."

Ron watched him, worried. He loved Lily too, of course, but he couldn't imagine how terrible it must be for it to be your own daughter. If it had been Rose….

Professor Pucey stayed silent. He knew Harry Potter was the Head of the Auror Division, knew that he had defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and that he must be incredibly brave, but right now he just seemed terrified.

"Harry, mate, come on." Ron said quietly. "We need to go see her."

Harry got to his feet so quickly his head spun. But that didn't slow him down at all.

"I'm going too," Ron told Professor Pucey, in a tone that just dared him to argue.

"After you," Pucey agreed, nodding his head towards the fire.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the ranch – also known as Hogwarts, a very anxious group of students was waiting outside the Hospital Wing doors. Comprised of every Weasley and Potter currently attending Hogwarts, along with Alice, Lia, the Scamander twins, Aisha and a pair of third-years who were presumably Lily's friends.

Professor Adams appeared at the door. A clamour started up, everyone calling for her attention.

"Quiet," she said firmly. "I know you're all worried about Lily and Scorpius, but I can't let you all in. James and Albus Potter can go ahead – your parents should be arriving shortly. Two guests only per patient, otherwise."

Albus, however, had never left. Forced into a chair by Madam Pomfrey, he'd remained there during the entire conversation. And now, masquerading as him since he looked most similar, Lorcan could slip through with James. The two third-years, one a girl, the other a boy, both had an immediate pass to visit Lily.

Then there was the battle to visit Scorpius. Rose won on the basis that she had two people, Lily and Scorpius, who she needed to visit, and Aisha took second place because she claimed that as a fellow Quidditch player, she deserved it. And because Lysander was far too gentlemanly for his own good, Lia too quiet and Alice suddenly nowhere to be seen.

Then someone tapped Lia on the head with their wand. She felt a cool dripping like an egg running down her back, and turned to face them. But there was nobody there.

"Disillusionment Charm," the wall, which sounded remarkably like Alice, explained. Performing it on Lysander too, the three of them slipped through the closing door.

Harry and Ginny had already arrived, as had Ron and Hermione with them. They were in quiet discussion with Madam Pomfrey whilst Albus and James stood staring at their little sister.

They crept closer to listen, but what they heard horrified them.

"Is that like a coma?" Aisha asked in a whisper.

"If it lasts much longer then yes, I'm afraid so," Madam Pomfrey confirmed.

"What about Scorpius?" Albus asked suddenly.

The four parents glanced towards Scorpius, whom none of them had seen in their panic. "What happened to him?" Ron asked.

"He was the player who Lily collided with," Professor Adams explained. "He broke her fall."

There was surprise on their faces, but not that much, and none of the faces of the students. They knew Scorpius, and from the letter descriptions of him, the adults had realised he was as much of a Gryffindor as any of their generation had been. Although Neville had never told them, he had watched Scorpius and Albus interact and had been reminded of Harry and Ron – but with Albus being, oddly enough, most similar to Ron, and Scorpius to Harry.

Harry and Ginny moved closer to their daughter's bed, Ron and Hermione hanging back to give them some time separately.

"Is Malfoy coming here then?" Ron asked uncomfortably. He could imagine the tension that this situation would cause.

"He should be here shortly," Professor Adams confirmed.

Albus had drifted over to Scorpius' bed, followed by Aisha, Lorcan and Rose. Unnoticed now due to Madam Pomfrey's distraction by the Potters, Lysander, Alice and Lia removed the Disillusionment Charm and gathered there too.

This was the scene into which Neville, Draco and Astoria arrived. The seven silent students gathered around their son's bed.

Both of the Malfoys covered the space between the Floo and the hospital wing in a few quick strides. The fifth-years scattered aside to give them room.

Madam Pomfrey hurried up to them.

"Well?" Draco snapped. "An explanation of my son's condition would be greatly appreciated."

"If it's not _too_ much trouble," Astoria added sarcastically.

Madam Pomfrey rattled off the list of injuries she had detailed to the Headmistress, not pausing for breath. "And I cannot fix anything until he is conscious," she finished.

"What good are you then?" Draco asked irritably.

"Hey, that's not fair," James began, then shut up when Ginny fixed him with a sharp glare.

"Malfoy," she said slowly, still reeling inwardly at the number of injuries that Scorpius had. "I hear that I owe Scorpius thanks. He saved my daughter's life, most probably."

"Damn stupid thing to do," Draco muttered ungraciously. Then he frowned.

"Your daughter was the player with whom Scorpius collided?" Astoria asked, connecting the dots faster than her husband.

Harry nodded tightly.

"How is she?"

The question, to everyone's surprise, came from Draco.

"Er, unconscious. She hit her head on the goal hoop very hard. But Madam Pomfrey's very hopeful." Harry replied after a second.

"Good," Draco muttered, clearly uncomfortable.

One eyebrow raised, Alice exchanged a look with Rose. Despite the seriousness of the situation, neither could stop a smile, and in better circumstances would have laughed aloud at the awkwardness of the conversation.

This was the wrong thing to do, however, as it drew the attention of the adults. Draco said nothing, merely took in the sight of all of these teenagers, clearly as worried about his son as he was. Astoria was rendered speechless by it, a rare event.

"Rose," Hermione said softly, beckoning her daughter away in the hope that all of the students would follow and let Draco and Astoria be alone with their son. But Draco interrupted.

"It's fine," he said stiffly. Then, looking directly at Rose, added his thanks. "Thank you for supporting my son, all of you. I know he appreciates your friendship."

"That's alright, Mr Malfoy," Lysander replied first. "He's a good friend."

"He's a good person," Aisha added.

"Thank you," Astoria said softly.

From the door of Madam Pomfrey's office, Neville watched the situation, mouth slightly open with shock. If anyone had told him even ten years ago that he'd be watching Draco Malfoy being civil to Harry Potter, a half-blood Weasley and a Muggleborn all in one go then he'd have laughed so hard he'd have popped a blood vessel.

Minutes passed in silence. It felt like longer, but in fact it wasn't too long before a gasp echoed through the Wing.

"She moved!" It was one of Lily's friends, the Hufflepuff boy. Harry and Ginny bent closer, as Madam Pomfrey, Ron, Hermione, Rose, Albus, James, Lysander, Lorcan, Alice and Aisha all rushed towards Lily.

Lia was the only one who stayed with Draco and Astoria, though her brown eyes were as fixed on the little redhead as the rest of them.

"Give her space," Madam Pomfrey ordered, forgetting that most of those present shouldn't have been in the Hospital Wing at all. "Speak to her," she added to Ginny.

"Lily, sweetie? Can you hear me? Just blink or twitch if you can."

"Mnnhem."

"Is that supposed to be a yes?" Lysander teased softly.

Lily's eyes blinked open. "You try spuggut wah yeh." She paused and tried again. "You try speaking when you've just used a brass hoop as a pillow," she told him.

"Lily, can you tell me your birthday?" Madam Pomfrey asked her.

"Yes." Lily replied.

They were momentarily silent, then Harry laughed. "I think she means for you to actually tell her," he told his daughter.

"Should have said that then," Lily muttered. "June 6th," she confirmed.

Madam Pomfrey followed up with several more tests, including a quick incantation with her wand. When Lily had presumably passed all of these, she nodded. "Everything seems fine," she told Harry and Ginny. "Although I'd like to keep her in for another day just to be sure. And someone should talk to her, stop her from falling back asleep for a while."

"Who volunteers for such an arduous task?" Alice joked. Harry and Ginny, still pale from their shock, only smiled weakly, but the others were more relaxed by now.

"Who won?" Lily asked suddenly.

"We did," Aisha told her happily. "Now all that has to happen is Hufflepuff beating Gryffindor, and we've got a chance for the Cup!"

Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Harry all shared a look, remembering when they had discussions remarkably similar. And when Hermione filled the role that Lysander now took on, saying,

"Quidditch? Is that all you can talk about?"

"Al, are you alright?" Lily asked suddenly. "Sorry about the Bludger…"

"No hard feelings," he told her kindly. "Just watch out next game, Slytherin are going to lose."

"Godric, I was so scared when I saw you fall off your broom," Lily confessed. Harry and Ginny, not having heard this bit before, straightened up suddenly. Lily continued. "Scorpius was just the same, I saw it in his face. He was so worried that he didn't even notice – wait!" She bolted upright and would have got out of bed if it hadn't been for the sudden surfeit of arms holding her down.

"Scorpius?" she asked them. "What happened to him? I hit him, didn't I? I flew right into him and…" she frowned, trying to remember the memories that were horribly fuzzy.

"You collided right in front of the goals," Lorcan confirmed. He'd seen it all. "Both of you were watching Al. You didn't even slow down before you flew into him, taking him off his broom and onto yours. Then you both went through the hoop, when you hit your head and must have gone limp because you dropped your broom."

"Don't sugarcoat it for her or anything," Alice muttered.

Lily's face was as white as her parents now. "And then?" she asked nervously.

Lorcan shrugged. "You hit the ground. Scorpius first. I think he was still conscious as you were falling because he hugged you and moved around so that you were above him."

"He broke my fall." Lily scowled. "Idiot. You foolhardy, arrogant, Gryffindork prat!" she fumed. "How is he?"

"Not good," Ginny interjected. "I'm afraid he broke his spine."

"Does that mean that he's going to be paralysed?" Lily whispered. Spinal injuries weren't as dangerous in the wizarding world as in the Muggle one, but a fair number of them still resulted in paralysis thanks to the bones having moved out of position.

She had voiced what all of them were fearing. Scorpius was so active, none of them could imagine how he would cope. To be unable to play Quidditch again. Albus, alone out of them all, knew the worse consequence that it would entail – he knew Scorpius wanted to be an Auror more than anything else.

Lily glanced at the Malfoys who were still stood over their son. She suddenly looked very young and very scared – as did most of Scorpius' friends, whilst the adults were the opposite – they looked suddenly old, and just as scared.

"There should have been safety precautions against this," Draco suddenly raged, glaring around at Neville and Redetta Adams, the only Professors still in the room.

"I'm so very sorry," Professor Adams began. "Our Quidditch referee was attending to-"

"I don't care!" Draco snapped. "Strange how it happened to _my _son, isn't it!"

Draco had good reason to be paranoid - threats had arrived against Scorpius from the moment that Astoria's pregnancy had become publicly known. The Malfoys had many enemies, and wizards, thanks to their long lives, have long memories.

"And don't say how sorry you are," Astoria said, her tone glacial and her eyes fixed on the Headmistress. "We don't care. It doesn't help."

"Mum."

"In a moment, Scorpius," Astoria said, then gasped. "Scorpius!"

Even the most accomplished Slytherin would not have been able to hide the depth of emotion that flooded through Draco at that moment. Harry and Ginny, having learned the art of picking genuine emotion from the cool demeanour that Slytherins, their daughter sometimes included, presented to the world, could see the relief and worry battling in his face.

"Does it hurt?" Astoria asked. Everything hinged on that one question. Whether Scorpius could feel his wounds. The world seemed to pause as the whole room waited for his response.

Scorpius couldn't nod, immobilised by Madam Pomfrey's spell from the chin down. But he could speak.

"Yes," he whispered. "All over."

"Oh, thank Merlin," Astoria breathed. She sank into a chair, her composure deserting her as the situation, more horrible than the battles she had avoided, finally got to her.

Commotion followed. Madam Pomfrey was quick to heal his wounds now – bones, if aligned, could be healed in an instant. He was left without a single scar, though the extra grey hairs on the heads of his parents served as a reminder.

The news was carried to the Common Rooms, where a surprising number of people had gathered and now breathed easy. An outbreak of Weasleys rushed up to see Lily, whilst Scorpius' friends clustered around as Draco sat in a chair beside Astoria. They clasped hands. Far less demonstrative than Harry and Ginny, who had been so entwined in each other, supporting the other, that they could have been one person. But for the same purpose.

* * *

**A/N I am really not a doctor. I have no doubt made horrific medical errors in this chapter. I'm very sorry if you know better.**

**Keep Holding On, by Avril Lavigne, donated the title this time!**


	34. This Is What I Want To Be

**Thanks for reviewing: Kitty Bridgeta, Likewow5556, anamolly2013, Arlath's Daughter, Joelle8, Marciabarcia, Doni and Palindromed.**

**Just out of curiosity, I was wondering if any of my readers were British? And if you are, are you planning on voting in the election? Or would you vote if you were old enough? You don't have to tell me who you would vote for, I'm just interested. **

**And already this year is drawing to a close - two more chapters of it left.**

* * *

**Chapter 34: Suddenly I See, This Is What I Want To Be**

**April 20th: Career Interviews**

It's always hard to come back to school after a holiday and settle down to the daily grind, but it's even worse in your fifth or seventh year. Scorpius, who was the only student out of our eight who had gone home for the holidays, returned to revision timetables and notecards, whilst the others spent their holiday either enjoying the last days of freedom, procrastinating by tidying their trunks (for the first time in five years) or brought out their notes and settled down to revise, depending on their nature.

Albus and Lorcan were definitely part of the first group; Lysander and Alice were part of the second; Lia, Aisha and Rose made up the third group, although none of them were overly delighted to be there. After all, although the knowledge had been interesting the first time, rereading and relearning them wasn't nearly as fascinating.

They were given a sharp reminder of why they were revising, however, in the first week of their summer term. Career Advice Appointments were made with their Heads of House and a vast assortment of leaflets was spread over all the Common Rooms plus the InterHouse Common Room.

Lorcan was the first to have a meeting, in his case with Professor Longbottom, who looked up as Lorcan came in to the office.

"Lorcan, sit down." He invited. "Now, you do know why you're here? We're just going to talk about what you might want to do after leaving Hogwarts."

"I know."

Professor Longbottom remained silent, clearly expecting Lorcan to offer some suggestions of what he'd considered as careers. At last, when an awkward minute or so had passed, he spoke again.

"So do you have any ideas?"

"I know."

Neville blinked. Lorcan's eccentricity wasn't quite the same as Luna's, and it took him a few seconds to adjust.

Lorcan seemed to take pity on him. "I mean that I know what I am going to do. I'm going to work with my parents until I know everything I need to, and then I'm going to research Magical Creatures myself."

"Alright," Professor Longbottom said confidently. He felt back on solid ground now. "I expect you don't need any qualifications in particular to follow that, although no doubt OWLs and NEWTs in Care of Magical Creatures would be helpful. Of course, your other option is to leave as soon as you're seventeen instead of taking NEWTs and learn practically."

"I know," Lorcan said for the third time. "But I don't want to leave before my friends, so I'll stick around. I'm not in any hurry."

"That's good. Studying NEWTs gives you the opportunity to change your mind, for example working for the Department for The Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. " Longbottom replied. "As for NEWT choices, I'd also recommend Charms and Potions, and in your free time you might want to think about studying magizoology journals to see the style in which you'll be expected to write."

"I'm not a very good writer," Lorcan sighed. "But I suppose I'll improve."

"If you become very successful, you can always employ someone to write for you," Professor Longbottom suggested. "The leading journals tend to pay high amounts for good information. I presume you're planning on working freelance?"

Lorcan shrugged. "My grandfather's journal will probably employ me, but I think I'd prefer to go freelance."

"Well, good luck with your OWLs then, and thanks for this chat. Was there anything else you wanted to let me know? Any problems with revision, friends, professors?"

Lorcan frowned and remained seated.

"Is there something?" Neville asked.

He remained silent for a long second, then shook his head. "No. Just thinking. Thanks,"

With that, he took his leave and left.

Lia had her interview almost simultaneously, with the kindly Professor Samson. Most students were bewildered as to how such an easy-going man had ever been an Auror, but if you got into trouble then it was an entirely different matter. Last year, three seventh-year Hufflepuffs had been caught bullying a second-year. Samson didn't yell – he verbally dissected them until they were stammering their apologies and regretting their actions.

None of that was present on his face now as he beamed at Lia and welcomed her into his office.

"Come in, sit down," he indicated the chair. "So, you've looked at the leaflets?"

Lia nodded, a strange expression filling her face. It was a mixture of longing, indecisiveness, an apology and something else that Samson couldn't quite identify.

"So, that's clearly given you an idea." Six years of experience as the Hufflepuff Head had at least given Samson the knowledge to expect what might come after that expression. His House were a strange mix of being too humble to admit to high ambitions, too honest to lie about them and too hard-working to be unable to reach those heights.

"Don't worry if you don't think you're good enough. We've got two years to get you there, and I promise that all of the Professors, myself included, will do whatever we can. We can provide tutors, extra study time, work experience. You just have to ask. So?"

"It sounds pretty amazing to be a Healer," Lia replied finally.

"Why?" Samson pressed. Healers were a career that far too many Hufflepuff Muggleborns applied for, just because it was recognisable, something you could explain to your parents. Lia might not fall into this category, but he had to be sure. Aurors were the same for Gryffindor House, he knew from conversations with Neville. They knew they were brave, they liked Defence – they inevitably thought they could be an Auror or a member of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

"Because people need me to be one," Lia replied. "And because I'd be able to help people completely."

"Well, you do need high grades – Exceeds Expectations in Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology, Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts. And you won't be allowed to continue Defence Against the Dark Arts without Exceeds Expectations at least. Professor Bell normally does let Acceptable students into her class, although it's judged on a personal basis. Her notes on you suggest that she would, as you work hard and aren't known to mess up in the lesson. However, you will need to fit in some extensive work before seventh year, as you're currently averaging A's in Potions, Transfiguration and Herbology."

Lia nodded. "I have friends who can help me with most of those, sir."

"Are they good at helping though? Being intelligent isn't always the best way to help."

"She does a pretty good job though," Lia smiled. She was thinking of Alice. Strange how the normally impatient girl could become so helpful when she got the chance to explain something. It was different with Rose – she tried to help, but explaining the thought process was too hard for her. It just happened. This fact connected with that fact and if you remembered _that _condition then obviously it worked!

Aisha's interview wasn't going quite as well. Professor Pucey, like Professor Samson, had had his experience with years of students. He had the opposite problem, however. His students tended to reach for the moon, overshoot and end up on their face. It was his duty to always provide them with a back up along with a route to their destination.

"Can you tell me why you want to work for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement?" he asked.

Aisha couldn't exactly say that it was because she had studied her history and knew full well that of all the Departments whose Head had become a Minister, it had the highest percentage, a full seventy-two percent. And she knew that she'd be a good Minister.

"Because I want to help people, and do it the right way."

"But not a Healer."

"I want to prevent things happening, not clean up after them."

"And not an Auror. Your grades are certainly good enough."

"I know that they do an important job. I know that Dark Wizards are still a real threat. But the 'small' crimes, that don't get attention in the Prophet because they're all too common. They have victims too. Why is it fair that they don't get as much help?"

"Well, Miss Siddiqui. I think you should continue to work as hard as you are in everything that you do. Take the NEWTs in which you think you will accomplish most, although Defence and Charms would probably be of most help to you."

He paused for a second, and then added. "And History of Magic might be a wise choice. It would complement the research you seem to have done independently and aid you in your rise through the ranks."

"Thank you, sir." Aisha replied, smiling automatically and taking her leave. Wondering at the same time how Professor Pucey had picked up on her ambitions when she'd done nothing to indicate them. Meanwhile, Pucey was closing his office door, wondering at the logic that had the best candidate to be Minister sitting in his office and yet the only one of the few who had any chance for the position who had said nothing of her ambitions. And whether or not she had those ambitions, she would now.

Alice had been flicking through every leaflet in the pile, wondering what on earth to say to Professor Corner when it was time for her interview.

"I haven't got a clue," she announced, as she dropped into her seat. "I know that it's terrible, but I don't know. I don't want to run my Mum and Dad's pub though, so anything that'll get me out of inheriting that."

"Which classes do you enjoy most?"

"Ooh, that's hard. See, I love my lessons because of the people who are in them, not because of the content. Apart from Defence, I suppose. We have that with the Gryffindors, who I love, even if they can be annoying about it, but I don't like that. I love Divination, too. Muggle Studies is really interesting, but I think there'd be a limit to it. I just don't get how people can function like that."

Her tone was mixed – both patronising and impressed.

"I'd prefer not to take all 'easy' subjects, too. I got sick of people hearing what my options were in Third Year and doing that little sneer? Where they're obviously thinking how pointless and simple those OWLs are."

Professor Corner didn't bother to try get a word in edgewise. Although this was his first year of giving career advice, Neville had warned him that some students were like this. They just needed somebody to talk at, to try work out what they wanted to do. Some types of people just felt uncomfortable talking with their friends for such a length of time about such a serious subject.

"I want to give up Herbology, sort of. But not really. I only want to drop it because my Dad teaches it, and that would get such a reaction. I like it though, and it fits in well with Potions, which is so fun. It's like cooking, but the stuff lasts so much longer. With cooking, I've eaten the food generally before the day is out, but with Potions you can make a potion and then, when you use it, it's like reliving the day when you made it."

Professor Corner wondered, just briefly, if Alice had forgotten he was there. Or who he was. Or perhaps, he mused, she was trying to earn brownie points by sharing his enthusiasm for Potions.

"Transfiguration would be nice. I'd love to be an Animagus. Although I'm not sure if I'd like to know what my form is. It's probably nothing attractive. But I love Charms too, and I think that's more useful, whatever I decide I want to do. Divination….I want to carry on, but I don't. I enjoy my lessons, but I don't know if there's all that more I can learn. Every now and again, they tell us something useful. But now and again are pretty rare, unfortunately."

She paused for breath, frowned and began again. "Not Astronomy. Interesting, sure, but it has a limit. Same as History of Magic. It's a lot like Muggle Studies. It's been fascinating to get that little bit of knowledge that makes me understand more, but I don't really feel desperate to get any more knowledge in those areas. I can get by now, and that's fine."

"So Potions is a definite," she summarised. "And Herbology. And Divination. Then it's Charms or Transfiguration….or both, of course. But I'm not crazy like Rose. I don't want to take five NEWTs, I'm happy with four. I like my spare time, and I've got lots to do in it. Maybe I'll toss a coin. Although really, it's just a choice between the opportunity to become an Animagus and Charms."

She fell silent to muse over it, and Professor Corner seized his opportunity to speak.

"Do you want to continue in education or leave?" he asked.

She stared at him, slightly confused. "I've just talked at you for quite a while over what NEWTs I want to take," she reminded him.

"I meant after NEWTs. There are courses at Muggle universities you can take, both magical and Muggle ones. It's only open to those with the highest grades, and those who undertake a course of Muggle Orientation, so as to ensure our secrecy, but it's an option."

"Why don't I know about this? Sir." She added, to give the illusion of politeness after she'd just basically ignored the man in his own office. That was the problem with having your father as a Professor. Although Neville was too professional to gossip about his colleagues to future students, you could pick stuff up, overhear things mentioned to wives and just get to know your professors far better than otherwise.

"It's not publicised. It's offered, much like a scholarship, to those students who we consider capable. The Ministry pays for you, you see – Muggles have to pay their way in education after eighteen, and they want to be sure that the money goes to worthy causes. Between five and ten students go every year, to one of four partner universities."

"Oh. Well, no. I don't want to be part of a mass any more, whether it's in a lecture theatre, a training centre or a classroom. I want to be an individual."

"Have you considered apprentice-ship? Most jobs take them, other than Ministry employees."

Alice mused on it for a moment, then jumped up. "Thanks for your help, sir. I think things are a lot clearer now than they were before." She left, leaving behind a sudden calm, like a hurricane or a speedboat.

Lysander arrived for his appointment and waited outside the door, building up the courage to knock. Once he did manage it, though, he wasn't disappointed.

"I don't know what I want to do," he confessed, like he was confessing to a mortal crime. Among his fellow Slytherins, maybe he was.

"It's not that unusual, Mr Scamander," Pucey assured him. "Ambition can be undirected, after all. You want to be successful – you don't know where. Am I correct?"

"Pretty much," Lysander agreed.

"If you don't know, there's always the possibility of delaying the decision. You can do courses that will guarantee you a boost into any Ministry position you might choose, so that you don't have to start at the bottom."

"Do courses? Where?"

"After the War, a proposition was put forward by many of the new members of the Wizenmagot."

Every member of Dumbledore's Army had been made a member of the Wizenmagot after the war, in an attempt to restock severely depleted numbers with youth, youth who were experienced and at the same time still idealistic.

"Partly set up for Magical and Muggle co-operation, partly to further the education of our children. Possibly to give children the opportunity to extend their youth in a way that my generation could not. The Ministry responded to the petition, and set up links with four universities in Britain. York, Durham, Oxford and Cambridge. They chose those universities with the collegiate system – it was easier to hide, that way."

Lysander listened to the explanation with growing delight. He'd just found his plan.

Rose was next, and she was looking forward to it. She wanted the help that a seasoned professional could give her, having tried her luck with all of her friends and occasionally her parents. Not as much, though. Whatever path she did go down, she didn't want them to think she wasn't 100% certain about it.

Professor Corner was the new Head of Ravenclaw, succeeding Professor Flitwick when he left last year. Many would have expected that his problem with career interviews, like Pucey's, would be determined, intelligent students with bright futures ahead of them. But in reality, brains didn't mean that you had a direction. All too often, it meant the opposite. If you were good at everything, how did you pick one?

This was exactly what Rose was saying to him now. Which was when he made the same offer that he had to Alice, with an entirely different response.

"Keep learning? And learn how to find out my own stuff along the way? Wow." Rose crossed her legs, leaning back. "That'd be perfect."

"Although your marks and your professors seem to consider you capable of following any course, I'd judge from your previous comments that you feel one of the more research-based courses to be suitable. Whether it's Spell Development, which is a mix of Defence and Charms, Transfiguration or Potions, or any of the three combined."

"I think I'd like Spell Development. Although I'd like to do some more work on how different charms work on objects."

Were this her parents with whom she was having a conversation, she would have continued into a long ramble about how she had always wondered several things – precisely what charms were on a broomstick to make it stay up, how did people enchant quills to be never-inking or self-correcting – basically, how do you imprint magic onto a perfectly ordinary object. Ron had smiled the first time he'd brought it up, and told her to ask the car. That had never made any sense to her.

Albus rushed along to Professor Longbottom's office, hoping he wasn't late. In truth, he'd forgotten all about it.

"I want to be an Auror," he said firmly.

"Why?" Professor Longbottom countered, no trace of Neville in him.

"Not because Dad's one, if that's what you think. I almost didn't want to, since I'd rather be out of his shadow. I don't really understand why. I just know that it's right."

"Gut instinct can sometimes be right." Longbottom allowed. "You, of all people, should know what's involved."

"I know I need to work on my Charms grade," Albus admitted. "But it'll get there."

Seeing the determination in Al's face, there was little Neville could do to disagree. "If you need any help, let me know. Although Victoire might be better in that department."

"I guess I might be able to lean on her," Albus agreed. "I know her weakness, after all."

"Teddy?" Neville asked, amused.

"No. Fizzing Whizbees."

Scorpius was the last. Unlike Albus, he hadn't forgotten his appointment. He'd been planning what to say for days.

"Scorpius," Neville welcomed him. "How are you?"

Scorpius knew why he was asking. In a week's time, he would be getting back on a broom for a proper match for the first time since his accident. True, he'd been to training, but the atmosphere wasn't the same.

"Fine, sir. And I'll be fine. I don't really remember anything that happened, so I expect it'll be more scary for the rest of the team."

"As long as Albus doesn't spend _all _of his time checking on you. The Cup's been missing from my office now for two years, and it really leaves a gap."

They both sat down. "So, any ideas?" Neville asked.

Scorpius nodded, then glanced around. He seemed almost paranoid, a rare trait in Neville's House.

"What I say won't leave this room, Professor, will it?"

"Not if you don't want it to," Neville said. That was a rare promise. Normally the Professors had to say 'not if it doesn't need to' – after all, a student could admit anything, including things that it was their Professor's duty to report.

"Only Albus knows this. And I had to swear him to secrecy too, otherwise he would have gone to his Dad, and everyone else. I didn't want to tell him. He's going to get his hopes up now that we'll be able to train together, and if I don't get in…" Scorpius grimaced. "I don't want to disappoint him. Plus, if I don't get offered a place then he _will _go to his Dad and everyone else, asking why."

"Don't get in...."

"To train to be an Auror, of course!"

"And why wouldn't you be offered a place, Scorpius?" Neville asked, his tone challenging.

"You know why, sir."

"I know why you think that you won't get one. And I can assure you that the Ministry does not discriminate on that basis. We're past all that now."

"Of course not," Scorpius agreed. "Officially."

"Officially or any other way," Neville retorted.

"Then why, when my mother applied for MF treatment, was she refused?"

MF, or Magical Fertilisation, had to be requested by letter, stating why you would be a fit parent. An employee of the Department of Magical Society – basically the department which covered families, child welfare, marriages, divorce and population numbers – would receive it.

"Your parents told you that?"

Scorpius barked a short laugh, the question reminiscent of one Professor Longbottom had asked him back in second year, and one which he'd been asked by other people before.

"Did your generation just not eavesdrop at all?" he asked. "There are other ways to know what's going on than to ask. And my parents are awful at noticing when other people are around."

"That was the actions of one individual," Neville stated firmly.

"Two individuals, at least. They were turned down twice. First time, it was for me. They ended up getting Muggle MF, whatever that's called. But with the exchange rate being what it was when they tried to apply the second time, they couldn't have afforded another round. Not without selling the house, and nobody would have bought it. Not to mention there'd be nothing left for me."

Scorpius didn't bring up the many other ways in which members of the wizarding community let his family know that they were not welcome, from shop assistants to members of the MLE. The Manor had more security spells on it than most bank vaults, since they couldn't count on the Ministry's support if they were robbed....or worse. All post was delivered to a secure building located a mile from the Manor, which Draco visited to sort out the important letters from the half-dozen hate letters that arrived daily, with at least one a week containing a curse that ought to be considered Dark, although the caster would no doubt never have thought of it that way.

"Regardless," Neville managed to continue, although he knew his cheeks were red. He wondered briefly how the Malfoys would react if they knew how many of their secrets Scorpius could reveal as a way to win an argument. And then the train of thought continued, to how little Scorpius managed to reveal about himself in his rants. He'd not said when Katie Bell had deliberately been dismissive to him during the first week, although she'd been professional enough to admit her conduct to Neville and remedy it. He'd not mentioned when, in third year, a group of bullies had decided to target him, although the story had eventually reached Neville's ears. He must have endured worse over the years, either directed at himself or at his parents, with him just standing by. '_How 'noble''_Neville thought, memories sparked of another boy who'd said as little, when Dolores Umbridge had hurt him, whose childhood, so Neville had eventually heard from Ginny Weasley during that seventh year, had been pretty dire. (Neville being Neville, of course, he didn't remember another boy who'd never mentioned the exact reason why he lived with his grandmother and had reacted so badly to first witnessing the Cruciatus.)

Neville shook himself and brought his attention back to the here and now. "If your application arrives at the Auror office and is turned down, there'll be several of us demanding to know why. They wouldn't dare, and Harry just wouldn't. Do you really think that the man who brought up Albus and Lily would do that?"

Scorpius shrugged.

"I'll take that as a no. And back to the topic of being an Auror. Do you know what NEWTs and what grades you need?"

Scorpius nodded.

"You're currently predicted them all…..there's a training program after you leave school, that-"

"Is intensive and lasts for a few years. I know. I'm serious about this. But, also…is there an alternative I could follow at the same time? Just in case?"

The risk-taking Gryffindor seemed to have subsided for a moment in favour of sensible tactics.

"Of course. Your best bet would probably be to apply to another Ministry office…or if you'd rather avoid the Ministry, there are independent research organisations, Healers, Muggle liasons, family liasons. Your highest marks are in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Hit-wizard, or personal security?"

"What about Arithmancer?" Scorpius asked tentatively. He'd found that he'd enjoyed the subject immensely since taking it up, even if Rose did beat him in every aspect.

"That's certainly an option. I wouldn't recommend applying to Gringotts as a back-up though. Goblins can hold a grudge if you then turn them down…"

As Scorpius left, Neville blurted out the question he'd wanting to ask.

"Did you want a sibling?"

Scorpius only shrugged.

"_Great time for him to discover his emotion-masking Slytherin roots," _Neville thought.

By the end of the week, the students were still in the midst of their revision. But for some of them, they'd been given a new purpose for it. Not that it made any difference to their enjoyment of the task.

* * *

**Chapter title: Suddenly I See, by KT Tunstall.**

**OWLs next! Shudder! **

**x**


	35. Running On Empty

**Thanks for reviewing: Palindromed, Doni, silverbirch, anamolly2013, Arlath's Daughter, susiipie, Marciabarcia, Joelle8, Kitty Bridgeta, The Tester, Twisted Identity and Likewow5556.**

**I'm sorry if the mention of exams here upsets people :D**

* * *

**Chapter 35: Running On Empty**

**OWL Exams: May and June 2022**

Some people felt that OWLs were the worst exams. After all, they were the first. By the time it got to NEWTs, you had some sort of idea what it was like to do real examinations, ones where your examiner didn't have a familiar face and ones where you wouldn't get the results for months.

Alice disagreed. OWLs were, in her opinion, the best exams. A chance to show off her knowledge, without having to worry about anything depending on them. She already knew that she'd be good enough to do the NEWTs she wanted to, and so there was very little stress attached. She didn't have to strain to be top in the year – that title was claimed so completely by Rose or by Aisha that there was no point.

In the weeks and months leading up to the exams, she participated in the massive lie that everyone told.

"Oh no, I haven't started revising," most students would say, with some obvious exceptions such as Rose.

Alice began to modify her actions a little though. The books she normally read in the mornings, when as she often did, she woke long before her alarm began to be schoolbooks and textbooks rather than the fictional stories she'd enjoyed before.

Her taste in boyfriends moved towards the more scholarly in their year. You couldn't say that Alice was biased – she'd dated popular boys and unpopular ones, sporty boys and smart ones. Some who were both sporty and smart, some who were both popular and sporty. It depended on her mood, and they would all jump at her lightest wish.

The boys she chose now let her revise with them. Multitasking was something she was very good at.

Scorpius, on the other hand, opted for denial. If he didn't accept that the exams would be soon, they wouldn't be. If he still took part in Quidditch as though there was nothing more important, there wouldn't be.

If only the world were so simple. Thankfully, his friends didn't allow him to indulge in this fantasy for too long. Rose dragged him out of it with her insistence on working lunches and revision timetables.

Branwen, Scorpius' new girlfriend, wasn't too keen on this. She, too, loved Quidditch, and didn't want to spend time cooped up in a library with her boyfriend and his female friends. They'd begun their relationship in a blaze of publicity - Scorpius had flown in the Quidditch final, despite having fallen off his broom only a few months before and nearly come to permanent harm. His excellent Keeping had resulted in victory, accompanied by Branwen's superb Chasing.

In what was to Neville Longbottom, who was watching as he congratulated the team, an eerie replay of the first time that Ginny and Harry Potter kissed, Scorpius had entered the Gryffindor Common Room to an embrace, a kiss, and then a girlfriend.

The ghosts could have told Neville, however, that relationships began like this all the time. Emotions running high over Quidditch - it was to be expected.

Scorpius and Branwen had had little time to adjust to being boyfriend and girlfriend, however, before being plunged into the world of exams. Denial was the only option, up to a point.

Still, the first moment that it felt properly real to Scorpius wasn't when he received the exam timetable, telling him that the Charms written exam would be his first exam and the Astronomy practical would be his last. Although then he really did buckle down, turning up to revision sessions without having to be dragged there.

It wasn't when lessons finally ended for the year, the Professors believing they'd given their students all the help they could. Now it was up to them.

Nor was it when they woke for their last breakfast before an exam.

No, the first time that it really hit home that it wasn't a dream was when they called his name to move him into the exam room. When he sat, amidst dead silence, on the single desk already laid out with parchment, quills and ink. When he turned over the first page of his exam paper to reveal his first question. Which, to his relief, he could answer.

Not knowing the answers suddenly wasn't his problem. Slowly and methodically, he worked his way through the paper, scrawling down answers, splashing ink on his page. When he looked up again, he saw to his horror that the time was nearly up. And he wasn't even halfway through.

He began to hurry up. His hand cramped and he ignored it, scribbling answers that he knew were mostly right, even if their details were missing.

When he left the room, pale-faced and shocked, it was to his relief that he heard Alice whisper to one side of him, "I didn't even finish that exam!"

They didn't talk much about the exam over lunch. Rose liked to do so. Liked dissecting every question, everything she could have written. Aisha, on the other hand, hated it and Scorpius fully agreed.

Albus was also in agreeement. He hated exams, written ones all the more. He couldn't put his answers into words, into the perfectly formed sentences that came so naturally to Lysander, Aisha, Rose or Alice. Lia was in agreement with him, he knew. He and Rose alone had finished their paper, the others putting so much into their earlier questions that they never reached the last ones.

With Rose, no doubt, the reason she'd finished would be that the answers had sprung so quickly to her mind that she'd raced through. But Albus remembered the shivering panic of sitting there, staring at questions and not even understanding them, let alone how to answer them!

The exams passed, all of them blurring in his memory. He began to lose what little interest he'd had at the beginning. Now he understood why they did written exams first. It was hard to find motivation, as time wore on, to push himself to revise, to tear himself away from beautiful blue skies.

He hated whoever had decided to put exams in summer, when all students could do was stare at the lovely weather that they ought to be enjoying.

Soon, but nowhere near soon enough, the written exams were over. Now it was time for the practicals. What scared him here, not that he told anyone, was a fear of freezing up. Both he and Scorpius joked about how much easier they would be, especially ones like Defence Against the Dark Arts or Charms. Most of the eight had spent a lot of time wandering the school at night, but Albus and Scorpius even more than the others had had mock duels with each other, or more serious duels against others. They'd even once fought (and won) against Aisha and Rose, who'd put up a spirited defence, but hadn't worked as well with each other as he and Scorpius.

He was relieved, though, that you didn't have to do these exams in front of everybody, just the three others who were near you in the register.

This, people supposed, must be an especial relief to Lorcan, Lysander and Aisha. Along with Demelza Sloper, they were a group of four. You couldn't say that they had no friends in the exam room.

But Lorcan wasn't sure if this was that much of a positive. He knew how much his twin wanted him to do well. He did. But he also knew that, no matter what he did, Lysander would beat him. He didn't really mind. Lysander was interested in all of this stuff, in school and in exams. Lorcan was just interested in the knowledge he needed to do what he wanted.

He had some pride though, and it was never easy, to be consistently beaten in everything. To see Professors, who had known that they had one of the twins in their class, sigh as they realised it was the stupid one. In a way, he'd encouraged his distraction as a way of coping. If you didn't try, then you couldn't fail.

Astronomy was always the best, and the worst exam. It had been the last exam for many years, after people realised that it was unfair to try and force people to do an exam or revise for one on the day after you'd had to stay up past midnight, squinting down a telescope. That was what made it the best exam.

The atmosphere was also alternatively good and bad. On the one hand, it didn't feel like an exam. They could speak a little more, they were all in the room together, and some people enjoyed the feeling of being awake while the rest of Hogwarts slumbered. But that was a disadvantage to those who did their best in exams from the adrenaline that pumped into their brains and increased the speed of their thinking.

Regardless of their personal feelings on exams, no matter whether they had revised hard or not, in spite of some, like Lia, Albus or Scorpius needing good OWLs to follow their vocations, it was with great relief that they returned to the Inter-House Common Room after that exam. Nobody went to bed. They were too awake by this point. By common agreement, they didn't discuss the exam. Or any exam.

Summer activities, the weather, their needs for sleep – these were the topics. Branwen insisted that Scorpius dance, and then they went out for a night-time flight, as this was one of the few nights of the year when the curfew could be ignored.

Alice, too, vanished from the Common Room before long. She had spent the last month of the exams with one boyfriend - the longest she'd ever spent with any one boy. A seventh year who had just finished his NEWTs, Samuel Smith was tanned and blonde with at least a head of height over Alice, they acted as equals in a relationship rather than the boy always chasing her.

House-elves had supplied pumpkin juice and enough snacks for an army. The R-word (results) was banned. They celebrated until the late morning, although people began to slip away as the night wore on, some just falling asleep on the couches where they sat and others having the intelligence to at least reach their own common rooms.

Their first official exams were over. It was a rite of passage, part of growing up. And they were all relieved to be out the other side.

* * *

**Well, that's the first named relationship. Now, why do I get a feeling people won't like it?**

**Chapter title from One Minute**

**x**


	36. A Hero's Welcome Will Be Waiting For Me

**And an end to fifth year! Our heroes are growing up. Sixth and seventh year remain, then I'm going to write seven moments from their adult lives. Then that's it!**

**Thanks for reviewing: Joelle8, Palindromed, silverbirch, Doni, Arlath's Daughter, Kitty Bridgeta, dawnghost, Marciabarcia and Twisted Identity.**

* * *

**Chapter 36: Where A Hero's Welcome Will Be Waiting For Me**

**June 2022: The End of Fifth Year**

There was still a celebratory mood in the Gryffindor common room as Lorcan left it. Having regained the Quidditch Cup after two long years without it, people were feeling the buzz. Along with that was the usual happiness about holidays, even mixed with the sadness that everyone felt over not seeing their friends for months.

Scorpius and Albus had already headed down to grab breakfast first. Aisha and Alice would be discussing their summer plans – Aisha was going to be working for a month at the Leaky Cauldron, before going on to stay with Lia for another week. Lorcan had noticed that she didn't like staying at home too long, although she was touchy about the reason why. Rose would be checking and double-checking her room to see that nothing had been left behind, despite the fact that any stray belongings would easily be returned to her.

He left his trunk in his room, along with a note of thanks and a packet of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum (their favourite) to the Vansers which carried them down to the train every year, as well as managing to bring them up to their rooms at the start of the year.

Like every year, he travelled in a train compartment with the same seven people. They would come and go during the journey – Lysander, Alice and Aisha especially having other people who they had to bid farewell to – but their base camp was made in one place.

Rose and Scorpius would set out the chess set early on, and play until they arrived. Game lengths had slowly increased – it now usually took the entire journey for Rose to beat Scorpius, but she still did.

The old lady with the snacks trolley came around, and they all followed the same pattern, year after year. By this point, they could order the food even for those who weren't there – Chocolate Frogs for Aisha, Pumpkin Pasties for Albus, Liquorice Wands for Scorpius, nothing for Alice (she was watching her weight), although she'd gladly steal plenty of Lia's Cauldron Cake. Bertie Bott's for Lorcan, Never-Melting Ice-Cream for Lysander and a packet of Sugar Butterflies for Lily when she dropped in to say hello, which she did on a yearly basis, always with some pretext of needing help with some homework question, heading for the toilet or looking for another compartment. She could never be pressed to stay for that long, although if less of them were there, she might stay longer.

There was a disruption to their routine this year. Scorpius was the first of them to have a real girlfriend. Although none of them disliked Branwen, it was strange to have someone new there in the compartment. Even Alice's often changing friends had never dared enter their compartment, let alone complain at how little Scorpius and Rose would speak to anyone once they'd become involved in their chess match. Albus had joked once that they were deaf to the world - something that he realised was true when neither even heard the joke. Branwen wasn't too keen on this, and that might have been a factor in Scorpius losing the match after only forty minutes of playing, after which he started speaking again (rather than staring at the chess board and muttering).

After varying lengths of time (sometimes seeming like only a few minutes had passed, but at other times as though they would never arrive), the Hogwarts Express would pull puffing and steaming into the station. This year, however, there was nobody to meet Lorcan and Lysander. Despite their best attempts, Rolf and Luna hadn't been able to get back from their expedition in time this year, although they should only be a few days at the very most. After that, all four of them would be off, as happened most summers. They would at least return earlier this year - Rose had insisted that they should all meet up to receive their OWL results.

Lysander, absolutely thrilled at having the house to himself and Lorcan, if only for a short while, had firmly refused any offers of places to stay from any of his friends. Of course, the fact that a few of those invitations hadn't even extended to Lorcan had been one of the strongest factors in turning them down.

True, the house was a bit of a mess. In the eight years since Xenophilius had died and left it to them, Luna and Rolf had never really been home for long enough to arrange it all, meaning that there were overflowing files of research notes, boxes of rare specimens and souvenirs from various trips and the general detritus that a family of four could collect lying everywhere. The twins did have their own rooms, but that only meant that the boxes in there tended to be the boxes which belonged to them. Lysander had a slight temptation to invite his friends over – for a party first, and then to utilise all of their skills – Rose as an organiser, Lia as a helper, Albus as the enthusiasm – and work together to tidy the house up. But he didn't. He wasn't sure if his mother really wanted to come home and find her house – because she maintained that her true _home _was the tent which she and Rolf shared – completely different.

They hailed the Knight Bus and, at Lorcan's insistence, sat on the top floor. The first part of the journey passed in silence, a comfortable silence.

"I wonder what would have happened, sometimes."

Lysander was always called the 'smart' twin. Their predicted grades in the OWLs which they had endured earlier that year confirmed that. But occasionally, he found it difficult to keep up with Lorcan. Something that had got worse in the five years that they had been at Hogwarts.

"Happened when?" Lysander responded.

"When we were Sorted into the same House, of course."

"We weren't Sorted into the same House, though."

Lorcan let out a small sigh and said, as though it was obvious, "Not here. But somewhere, we might have been. And I wonder what happened."

"How could we have been? There's no way I'd fit into Gryffindor. I'm not brave, and I'm not chivalrous and I don't-" he cut himself off. Slytherin and Gryffindor were friends now and he wanted to refrain from insulting them to Lorcan's face. But there were still the good-natured rivalry and slurs that ran between them, and Slytherin had been overjoyed to narrowly beat Gryffindor to the House Cup, despite Gryffindor's excellent showing in Quidditch.

"I might have been in Slytherin," Lorcan suggested.

Lysander snorted. "No. You couldn't have been." The very thought of his brother in Slytherin was enough to make him wince.

"You don't want to be in the same House as me?"

"It's not that! I'd have loved it. But….we're different. Slytherin is different to Gryffindor. It's a lot happier now that we make friends outside our House, because opposites really do attract. That was part of the problem with Slytherin before – things can be a bit insincere inside Slytherin. We're all ambitious in one way or another. You have people like Aisha, who are such good friends with everyone – but they're not, not really. Sure, Aisha cares about all the people who she's 'friends' with, but only if they were hurt, or had good news – she doesn't find them interesting, or want to spend a long time with them."

"And then there's people like you, who are really well liked, not all that respected, thought to be a bit insincere…"

Lysander wasn't surprised by the bluntness. It was another one of his brother's characteristics, and a huge reason why he wouldn't have been happy in Slytherin. "Sure," he nodded, brushing away the hurt. It was the truth, after all. "But not everyone is talkative like us – you have ambitious people who just work hard, cunning people who realise that you can get the most knowledge – and knowledge is power – by listening, rather than talking. We have friendships, but we have a lot more alliances. And they can be sacrificed. Everything has a worth, and a weight. You have to be able to compare things that lots of people see as 'priceless' or beyond that sort of thing. You have to be able to do what it takes. You need a little streak of ruthlessness. Not everyone has a lot, some people don't seem to have any – although that can be a pretence, but…."

"I'm ruthless!" Lorcan protested. At his brother's disbelieving look, he nodded earnestly. "Of course I am. Have you ever seen me with any ruths?"

* * *

**Courtesy of the quote to my best friend**

**Courtesy of the chapter title to Go The Distance - Disney. Again. Too much Disney!**


	37. All Your Anticipation Pulls You Down

**And we are now, sort of, in sixth year. Of course, we're not, because it's the holidays, but I'm counting it as sixth year.**

**Many, many thanks for reviewing: susiipie, Palindromed, Twisted Identity, silverbirch, ananmolly2013, Likewow5556, Kitty Bridgeta, Doni, dawnghost and Marciabarcia**

* * *

**Chapter 37: All Your Anticipation Pulls You Down**

**OWL Results - August 2022**

They had gathered at Al's house. Their parents wanted to know their results, of course, but there were owls (or mobile phones) to tell them that. When they got their results, they wanted to be together.

There was no particular reason behind choosing Al's house out of the two possibilities – Albus or Rose, since the Scamanders' house was disordered to say the least, the Leaky Cauldron was too public and the Longbottom's house above too small, the Siddiqui house was full of other children – one of whom still didn't know what Aisha was, and the Creevey's Muggle neighbours might have been a little bewildered if eight owls had all gone swooping in through a window. There was Malfoy Manor – but with Lucius being there, that possibly wasn't the best place for at least half their number.

They were in the kitchen, a beautiful, airy room with two huge windows and a large wooden table. But none of them could really take in the scenery.

Alice was leaning against a counter, sipping a glass of pumpkin juice. Or pretending to sip. She was trying for calm thoughts, and ending up at terrified ones. All she could keep thinking of was the moments when she could have been revising, and she hadn't. Questions in the exam papers that she hadn't known the answer to rose in her mind, again and again.

Rose was twisting one red ringlet around a finger. She was both nervous and excited. Although she was trying to crush the hope inside her, telling herself that being cocky was the surefire way to be disappointed, she felt she had to have done well. She'd worked hard for five years, listened in lessons, practised in study periods and revised for hour on end. It would pay off. Wouldn't it? And what if it didn't? How would everyone react? They all expected her to do well. The terror of what people would say if she didn't was worse than the terror of what she might get. Plus, her parents had already booked a table at their favourite restaurant for the celebration meal. How awkward would it be if things didn't turn out as planned?

Aisha was sat at the table carrying on a quiet conversation with Lia. They were talking about nothing – what they'd done so far that summer, the previous fortnight when Aisha had visited Lia's house for a week. Aisha didn't know what to expect. She'd been doing well in practice tests, but had she just received those grades because her teachers had expected them from her?

Lia seemed the calmest of them all to those who didn't know her, but the other seven could read her by now, some of them better than others. Her ankles were constantly crossing and uncrossing. She needed good grades, although nobody particularly expected them of her. She wanted to be a Healer, and for that she had to do well. It didn't matter that she'd make a superb Healer – the grades, at this stage, were what counted.

Albus half wished that his house hadn't been the one chosen, and was half delighted that it had. On the one hand, he would have to tell his mother his grades in person. And if they weren't good, then that would make it worse. On the other, at least he didn't have to know that they would be waiting at home in anticipation. He wondered if he'd beat James, but doubted that he would. James seemed to coast through all of his subjects. At least, that was what Albus had believed before he'd returned from a detention late one night to find James in the Common Room, studying. Apparently nobody coasts through NEWTs, even if everyone else believes that they do.

Scorpius was sat next to Albus, also at the kitchen table. They were silent, Scorpius alternating staring at the table with staring out the window. He sighed, wondering what would be arriving with the owl. His parents had high expectations – Astoria had achieved all E's and O's despite the world being involved in a war throughout her fifth year. But he didn't expect to live up to them. His grades were alright, but he spent too much time in lessons messing around with Albus not to feel a little worry and guilt.

Lorcan was stood with his back to the window, Lysander pacing nearby. Lily was standing with them, and they were deep in conversation.

Lily and Ginny were the only members of the family home. Harry was at work, but Ginny, as a journalist, could work from home – and she took full advantage of this fact on the day when all of Al's friends were coming over. It was the first time most of them had done so – they'd met up in Diagon Alley, and Rose, Lorcan and Lysander had stayed more than a few times, but Lia and Aisha always went home, to Rose's, to Alice's or to each other's. She'd seen Alice only very rarely – most recently at the fifteen year anniversary of the Final Battle, and that was nine years ago. She was eager to catch a glimpse of more than one of them, although for different reasons.

They'd asked Al if he wanted a party, with all the Weasleys, something he'd emphatically refused.

Despite the larger age difference, Lily got on better with Al's friends than James did. Aisha was something of an older sister to her, as Rose had been since they were little. And with Lysander being in her house, she'd started to talk to him and by extension Lorcan, who she'd formed a strong friendship with.

She did have friends in her own year, of course, although fewer than Albus. She was a loner by nature, and the groups of eight that were formed during the Sorting didn't, as a general rule, last in the way that Al's had. But she was best friends with just two students, a boy and a girl in her own year. She'd certainly inherited the supposed temper of a redhead. Her nature as a Slytherin, however, gave her better control over it than most. She was all sweetness and light to those she didn't know well, only unleashing her stormiest bad moods on her closest friends – as a result, those closest friends were few in number.

It was possible that she knew as much about Lorcan's thoughts as Lysander, although they were still a bit of a mystery. As it was, she expected him not to be nervous about the results. He knew what he wanted to do – take on his parents' jobs – and he only needed a Care of Magical Creatures OWL to achieve that. But he was also resigned to whatever they might be, and relieved. He knew nobody expected great things of him, which took considerable pressure off his shoulders. Sometimes, though, he wondered what it would be like to be the clever twin, instead of Lysander.

Lysander was considered the more intelligent twin, a result of high grades which came from paying close attention in lessons the first time that things were taught rather than spending hours on revision. But he stood there, chatting with Lily about Professor Flitwick's retirement last year, and tried to calm the churning terror in his stomach. He didn't know what he wanted to do in the future, but he knew he wanted it to be something important, and that he'd need good grades. He wondered how he'd tell his parents if he did badly. What their reactions would be. "_At least I won't have to see their faces," _he thought selfishly, but at the same time, another part of him was wondering what he'd do if, as was likely, he got better grades than his brother and some of his friends. How do you say 'well done' about an E, if you got an O? He was relieved that he wasn't Rose, practically perfect – it must be so much harder to do so if you didn't even have anything to fall back on saying like 'oh well, I failed Transfiguration' or 'I took easier subjects' or even 'I can't do any sort of sport, though!'

"The owls!" Scorpius suddenly said, getting to his feet. Everyone turned to look. Sure enough, there were specks in the distance that were rapidly becoming blots, then shapes, and finally, as Lysander threw the window open, swooping in and dropping their envelopes on the table.

They flew straight back out again, leaving nine teenagers staring expectantly at the pile of letters on the table.

"What are you waiting for?" Lily asked impatiently. "They won't leap open and tell you the results themselves! Get your envelope!"

There was a scrabble as they all jumped to do what she said. They were all on their feet now. But there was another pause, as people looked at the unopened letters in their hands. Lily didn't interrupt this time. She knew that they were gathering confidence. Finally, Scorpius slit his open with a finger. Others followed, some losing patience with the envelope seal and simply tearing it to shreds to get in. The paper was unfolded, a single sheet.

It bore their name and a list of nine subjects, with nine letters. The moment seemed frozen in time, the time it took for a glance to sweep a piece of paper and take the contents in.

A slow smile spread over Rose's face, transforming it. Lia's eyes lit up with hope. Aisha raised her eyebrows at Albus, sat across the table from her, who gave her a shrug, a grin and a nod. She nodded in return. Alice let out a short sound, a cross between an sigh of relief and a laugh of delight. Scorpius grinned slightly, a 'not bad' expression. Lysander's face gave nothing away, and Lorcan was smiling gently.

Lily watched, wondering if they were ready to share.

Lia and Aisha had already read over each other's shoulders, as had Albus and Scorpius.

"Swap?" Aisha said to Albus, where he sat across the table from her, and they did so.

When they had read each others' results sheets, Albus squeezed Aisha's hand tightly. "Congratulations," he beamed.

Rose didn't want to be the first to suggest finding out everyone else's results, as she hated the reaction that came when she would read hers. Her curiosity limit was nearly exceeded however, when Alice finally said, "Shall we read them out?" Alice's blue eyes met Rose's brown ones in a look of understanding.

"Let's save Lily from dying of frustration in the corner over there." Lysander agreed.

Most of them would have preferred to just hand the sheets around, but Lysander and Alice loved the theatre and the suspense of reading them out.

"Alphabetical?" Rose asked.

"Subject wise or person wise?" Lorcan asked.

"Person," Rose decided. "Then we won't all talk over each other."

"Just because you go last," Alice muttered, and dodged when Rose kicked at her, knowing that she was joking.

Lia held up her sheet. "Astronomy, A. Care of Magical Creatures, O." The others clapped. "Charms, O." They clapped again.

"Was it a good idea to start clapping?" Scorpius asked. "Our hands are going to fall off by the end of this."

"Hopefully, anyway," Aisha pointed out.

"They will when we get to Rose," Albus sighed. Most laughed, although Aisha threw Rose a sympathetic glance. She hadn't forgotten her primary-school years, when she'd been the brainiac in the class.

"Shall we focus back on Lia?" Rose asked pointedly.

"Okay, Defence, E. Divination, A. Herbology, E. History of Magic, A. Transfiguration and Potions, both E."

"Can you take the NEWTs you wanted to?" Lily asked.

Lia nodded. "I think so. I needed E's in Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology and DADA. And I managed that – just."

They moved on. Alice was next, and she read out the list just as Lia had, although she began to get bored quite quickly. After "Arithmancy, O. Astronomy, O," she began to push them all together. "And…Herbology, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions and Muggle Studies, O. And a pretty little E in Defence Against the Dark Arts and History of Magic."

Scorpius was next, and the O's weren't quite as liberally scattered, although he was no doubt happy enough with O's in Muggle Studies and Defence Against the Dark Arts, E's in Charms, Arithmancy, Transfiguration and Potions and A's in the rest.

Albus didn't seem upset with his results either, his only Outstanding in Defence Against the Dark Arts – those practice sessions duelling with each other in the Room of Requirement having really paid off. He hadn't failed anything though, with Exceeds Expectations in History of Magic, Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration, Charms and Potions. Aisha shook her head in disbelief about his Acceptable in Muggle Studies.

"You talked with me constantly about that!" she protested. Albus shrugged.

"There's no practical bit though, and I hate written exams. There should be a bit where you have to go function in the Muggle world."

Lorcan nodded, agreeing. "I don't know what my Mum's going to say about failing History of Magic though. After all, it's mainly about her friends."

There were nods of agreement and then Lorcan read out the rest of his results – O's in Care of Magical Creatures and Charms. E's in Potions and Herbology and A's in the others.

The high marks in Charms were a credit to Victoire's teaching, even if her Veela blood did prove distracting to several of the male students, and a few of the female ones.

Lily hugged Lorcan in congratulations. "Potions, Herbology, Charms and Magical Creatures are the most important ones," she reminded him. "After all, they're the properly practical exams that you'll need for what you want to do."

Lysander followed his brother, his results being better, as expected. Outstandings in Charms and Transfiguration. Acceptables for Astronomy, History of Magic and Herbology. Exceeds Expectations for all his other results. The only shock was in Defence Against the Dark Arts. "Exceeds Expectations," he gasped. "That must be wrong. I thought for sure I failed that – I Stunned my examiner!"

They all laughed. But, as Rose pointed out, that meant that he could produce a Stunning Charm. Just not aim it.

Aisha sighed, as they reached her. She didn't always like being at the end of the alphabet, although it did have its uses – when she hadn't completed her homework and couldn't mark it with the rest of the class, it was easy to make up a score that didn't stand out too much. She rattled off her results, having passed everything, an Acceptable in Astronomy, Outstandings in Charms, Potions and Ancient Runes and Exceeds Expectations in everything else.

And finally, it was Rose's turn. Lily watched her cousin with expectant eyes. "All O's," Rose confessed.

Over the shout of "I knew it!" from Albus, Lily and Alice clapped. Glowering, Aisha hit Albus, "Don't say that," she told him. "It takes away from an achievement."

Rose nodded gratefully to the Slytherin girl.

"That's fantastic!" Scorpius said delightedly. "You're so impressive!" He laughed. "We all are! We should celebrate."

"I'll second that," Albus grinned.

"Shouldn't we tell our parents first," Lia reminded them.

This prompted a dash for fireplaces, offices, owls and even mobile phones as they rushed to spread the news. Soon congratulations were echoing up and down the line. Although, as always, the second question out of most parents' mouths was "how did everyone else do?"

"_As if our achievements weren't good enough," _Alice thought, having just heard this from her mother. Sharing a glance with Rose, she knew they were thinking the exact same thing.

She couldn't feel jealous of her friend. Of course, Rose had got better results than her. But she'd got better results than others. "_Count your blessings," _she reminded herself. And she knew that it would upset Rose, and take away from the redhead's results if she even voiced such an idea.

Lysander was reminding himself of the very same thing. All the same though, he couldn't help but think – _"I thought I'd done so well, until I heard theirs."_

But such thoughts were fleeting, and swept away in the euphoria of the moment. And once all friends and relatives had been notified, they were off. Plans had been made to spend the summer's day at a Muggle theme park, and they were excited as anything. The Muggle transport alone would be an adventure for some of them!

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**Results.....the worst or best day of people's school career.**

**Chapter title from Shine, Take That**

**x**


	38. I Wanna Be A Flower

**Thank you for reviewing: silverbirch, Likewow5556, Arlath's Daughter, Marciabarcia, Palindromed, Doni, Joelle 8 and Twisted Identity**

**And aargh! If you read the boyfriend mistake in the previous chapter, you will know what I mean. I corrected it about four PM on Sunday, so hopefully not too many people noticed my little Freudian slip. **

**Just to clarify - Scorpius and Branwen are the only real couple at this current moment. **

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**Chapter 38: I Wanna Be A Flower**

**January 2023: Rose Has A Blind Date**

Alice grimaced as she stepped out of the Thestral-drawn carriage only to sink into ankle deep snow. "This is ruining my boots," she muttered irritably.

Rose followed her out of the carriage. They were coming back from their Christmas holiday. Alice had stayed with Rose and her family, who had visited the Potters on Christmas Day. It had been fun, other than one tense moment where Lily, Albus and Alice had all got in an argument about Lily's choice of friends.

But the best thing had been the snow. It had snowed solidly from the eighteenth of December. There had been doom-laden predictions that it wouldn't last, that it would all melt before the twenty-fifth – but it hadn't. Not only that, but more snow had continued to fall, even on Christmas Day.

It had been the first truly White Christmas that the teenagers had experienced, and they'd briefly let go of their dignity and self-important to have a snowball fight – possibly not in the true spirit of peace to all mankind, but fun nonetheless.

Frank, Alice's younger brother had been there too, since he was as close friends with Hugo (Rose's little brother) as Alice was with Rose. Burying him in snow had been one of the highlights of their holiday.

It hadn't been their first snow – Hogwarts often experienced it, usually in great quantities, but never had it been seen before at the Potter and Weasley households in Godric's Hollow, far further south.

Alice had childhood memories of visiting her great-grandmother in Yorkshire, and a heavy snowfall then, but there had only been she and Frank in the family then – not enough for a proper snowball fight.

Snow wasn't much of an obstacle to a wizard, who Flooed, Apparated or flew to different destinations. There were mild annoyances to some of Harry's fellow Aurors, who lived in London and had had to cope with trying to get to the Ministry amidst transport chaos and mass panic over 'a few centimetres of white powder' as Lily, who considered herself above such things from her experiences at Hogwarts, had put it.

But it had caused chaos on the journey back to Hogwarts. Driving to Kings' Cross had been an absolute nightmare, followed by worse news – halfway along the journey, the Hogwarts Express was halted in its tracks due to snow on the line.

Snow that the wizards could have melted in seconds, had they been given the opportunity. That was another reason why snow caused little disruption to wizards – they had no need for shovels, and there could be no shortages of grit when all you had to do was place a Warming Charm.

Eventually, after a two-hour wait, the Obliviators had been called by the Professors. They had gone, melted the snow and then Modified the memory of any Muggles if necessary.

It had proved an opportunity for Molly and Lucy Weasley. They had finished their Hogwarts education, due to stern orders from their father, but had joined George at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes the instant that they graduated, long before their NEWT results (all passes, although no grade above Acceptable) arrived. They had had one thing that was coming to be seen as a benefit – a Muggle upbringing, courtesy of their Muggle mother. This had given them familiarity with Muggle culture and they thus knew of the winter song 'Frosty the Snowman'.

The product had been developed for months, long before the snow came, but it was only once the blizzards arrived and Frosty's Silk Hat went on sale that how successful it would be became clear. Any child, Muggleborn or not, loved the moment where the silk hat was placed on the head of a snowman, beautifully crafted or otherwise, and it began to dance around.

But the snow was definitely becoming a thing of fatigue to Alice, as it necessitated the wearing of warm, unflattering cloaks and prevented her from wearing her usual two-inch heels.

Rose couldn't sympathise, but she wished that she could. On an impulse, she said,

"Sometimes I wish I was _normal,_"

Alice glanced at her, surprised. "You don't like having magic?"

"Not that sort of normal!" Rose hastily clarified. "A normal girl. Who cared about clothes, and make-up. Maybe then guys wouldn't just see me either as a walking brain, or an opponent on the Quidditch field."

Alice really didn't know what to say. Was she supposed to agree, say that yes, boys would notice her if she changed. Or that she shouldn't change to please other people?

She opted for the middle ground.

"In the long run, boys really don't care about the outside. As long as you're not completely ugly, and trust me, you're not, you'll find someone."

"I don't care about the long run! I want a boyfriend now!"

"Why? It's not like everyone else is a couple. Only Scorpius, really."

This was true. Scorpius was – he'd been dating Branwen Kendrick for seven months now. But although Alice usually had some sort of male following her around, she'd only actually had one long-term boyfriend, last year during her OWLs. But he'd left school now, and she was back to boys who she considered vastly inferior.

Aisha, Albus and Lorcan were both resolutely single. Lysander, like Alice, had had more than his fair share of relationships. Weirdly, neither left a trail of broken hearts. Alice most likely because her boyfriends knew what they were getting into, and Lysander probably because he could 'charm the hind-leg off a donkey', as Hermione had commented once. Girls remembered him fondly. When asked about it, he'd just shrug and call it 'a gift'.

Rose's stubborn expression didn't change, though a slight look of dislike crossed her face at the reference to Branwen. Branwen was a lovely girl – bubbly, chatty, harmless. But she was also extremely loud, and tactless (not unlike Rose and Albus, in that respect). She'd managed to annoy Lia (and Aisha, on her friend's behalf) by repeatedly ignoring Lia, or patronising her, as though being quiet meant that you were stupid. She'd annoyed Rose by disrupting homework sessions in the library, or by trying to do what Scorpius and Albus consistently did, and copy Rose's homework. Scorpius seemed to like being with her though, constantly grinning at her (although Rose insisted that it was a dopey sort of grin, not at all impressive).

The stubborn look, though…..Alice knew that look, and knew that it wouldn't. Rose was obstinate to the very core. She wouldn't change her mind once she'd made it up. If an idea got into her head, then that was that.

"I could set one up?" she offered, wondering if she was doing the right thing. "A blind date – there's a Hogsmeade trip next weekend, isn't there?"

"Yes!" Rose said. "Please, do. Just, not someone who's just doing it because they feel sorry for me."

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**A Week Later**

"He's only doing this because he feels sorry for me, isn't he," Rose sighed as she stared disconsolately into the mirror. All the rest of their dorm-mates had left the room – only Alice and Rose remained.

"No," Alice insisted, truthfully but with a slight edge to her tone. She'd said this three times already. "Eric is definitely interested in you. He's a bit in awe of you, I think, but that shouldn't keep him quiet for long – nothing can keep Eric Ogden quiet for long."

"And he's Hufflepuff?"

"Yes."

"And you're going to be with us the whole time?"

"Yes," Alice said patiently. "Tony and I are double-dating with you. We're going to go to the Three Broomsticks, get some Butterbeers. Have a chat. That's it."

"That's all that happens on a date?"

"Well, if it went well then you let him kiss you at the end. Otherwise, pretty much, yep."

"He's not going to want to kiss me," Rose scoffed, then turned to face Alice. "Do I look okay?"

"You look fantastic," Alice soothed.

"You're just saying that," Rose worried.

"Rose." Alice's tone had the redheaded girl turning to face here. "I am not just saying that. Did you know, I think you're the most beautiful girl out of all four of us?"

"But-"

"But nothing. I get guys because they expect me to get them. However, I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not actually very good-looking. My face is too round, my eyes are too watery and my nose is too snub. I do have great lips though," she added as an afterthought, puckering said lips at the mirror and adding lipstick.

Turning back to Rose, she continued. "Aisha's not bad, I'll grant you that. Dark eyes, dark hair – it's very alluring. And she has a great voice. But it's not really beauty. Lia is actually probably second best, next to you. But she's just _pretty,_ like a china doll. Everything is perfectly proportioned - even if it's in miniature – and she's very graceful, if anyone ever bothers to look down."

"But you – you're gorgeous. Classic English rose complexion, but with red hair to give it an extra bit of vitality, so you don't look pallid. Brown eyes which drown you, even if they do need a little bit of emphasis – there!" she flicked her wand at Rose, adding make-up to the other girl's eyes. "That stubborn chin, giving your face character. A supermodel body – you eat like a pig, but you're tall and slim. I would literally kill for your body. And your freckles just finish the picture, making it a real beauty, rather than the unapproachable kind."

Rose blinked. It was very rare to be given quite such a flattering, near poetical description of your physical properties, and she blushed slightly. "Thanks?" she said tentatively. "You….you actually look at girls like that?"

Alice frowned slightly. "Yes," she admitted, hastening to add, "and guys too. Lorcan's our best-looking guy friend, when he isn't staring into space. Tall, dark and handsome." She hummed appreciatively.

"Can we change the subject, before we start talking about Albus?" Rose said quickly. "He's my cousin – it's a bit disturbing, to be honest."

"First cousins, though." Alice teased. "Didn't they once call them 'kissing cousins'?"

She hurried out of the room before Rose could return any comment, meeting her date in the Common Room. It was the second time she'd been out with Anthony Stretton, a Ravenclaw in their year. He was quite plain, but a lot of fun, usually, making wicked comments and puns about passing people or other students.

Once Rose had arrived, the three of them made their way to the InterHouse Common Room, where Eric was waiting. As Alice had said, he did look slightly awed at Rose's approach.

The fact was, although Rose had no idea, she was incredibly well-known at Hogwarts. She knew her parents were famous, and she knew that the fact that she was friends with Alice Longbottom, who was very popular, probably raised her profile, but she was famous for a different reason. Those who weren't impressed by her astounding intelligence were wowed by her prowess on the Quidditch field. People expected her to be capable of anything.

Thus far, she'd not proved them wrong.

Her reputation was added to by the few outbursts of temper she'd shown, and the many outbursts of temper that Lily had shown – people assumed that as they were cousins, friends and both redheads, that the two shared a temperament, which couldn't have been further from the truth. For a start, Lily was mercurial, whilst Rose was the type to hold grudges.

Alice and Anthony kept the conversation going with light-hearted banter all the way to Hogsmeade, as Eric and Rose walked along, only occasionally making comments.

Once they reached the Three Broomsticks, Eric was quick to pull Rose's chair out so that she could sit down, although this only led her to a slight confusion as she at first presumed that he was pulling the chair out either so he could sit there or to prank her.

"Come help me get the Butterbeers?" Alice asked Anthony, her gaze quickly flickering to Eric and Rose, still sat in silence, to indicate quite why a girl who had grown up in a pub needed help to carry four tankards.

As the pair walked away, Anthony made a comment to Alice, which Rose couldn't quite overhear but which must have been hilarious, because Alice laughed delightedly, placing one hand on Anthony's arm as though to support herself.

Rose sighed in envy of Alice's laugh. It was the sort of laugh that turned heads, not just filled with joy, as Lia's laugh was, but also with a womanly element to it that seduced the listener, and drew the watcher's gaze to Alice's perfect lips.

So unlike Rose's unladylike, undignified snort, which generally resulted in her spraying any food or drink which was in her mouth all over the table, herself or her companions.

Eric made a little noise next to her, and she glanced at him. His gaze was fixed on his lap, the corners of his mouth turned down unhappily. Suddenly she realised that her sigh could have been interpreted as a sigh of regret that she was with Eric, not Anthony or any other boy, or a sigh of annoyance that she was now actually going to have to speak to her own date.

Feeling guilty, she made an effort. "So, have you done that Arithmancy homework?" she asked him.

Okay, it wasn't much of an effort at flirting, but she wasn't very practised at it. At least it was conversation.

Eric groaned. "All apart from Question Five. I'm sure I was doing it wrong, but it was absolutely evil!"

"Oh, it was!" Rose cried. "I had to go get a textbook from the library to do it. It's past NEWT level Arithmancy, definitely. You had to consider a third variable, you see, and then assume that magic, not time, causes x to change….."

She pulled a quill out of her bag and began scrawling on a napkin. Eric, to his credit, didn't seem bored, pulling out glasses from his bag so that he could read Rose's scrawling, as he stayed silent, once again awed at how quickly Rose's mind was working.

"I'm never going to get an Exceeds Expectations," he lamented sadly. "I'm fine in class, and it makes sense when people explain it – but I just can't recognise it on my own."

"Don't worry," Rose said reassuringly. "It's just practice. And Scorpius didn't get it either, and he wants to do this sort of thing after Hogwarts."

Belatedly realising that Arithmancy wasn't quite the right topic for a date, Rose asked a question.

"What about you, do you know what you want to do?"

Eric flushed, the colour going right up to his forehead and disappearing beneath his sandy hair.

"It's really boring," he said, embarrassed.

"And I didn't just bore you rigid? Go on, I expect I won't find it boring."

"I want to get one of the university places," he blurted out, as though it would be too embarrassing to say if he said it slowly. "I want to study History."

"That's not dull at all!" Rose protested.

"Specialising in the History of Magical Law Enforcement." Eric added.

"Still not dull," Rose insisted, although her tone possibly held a little less conviction. "Why that?"

"It's a sort of family thing," he explained. "Right back to my great, great grandfather, Ogdens have always been Enforcers in the MLE, and members of the Wizenmagot. And I really like that sort of stuff, how different things have become law over the years, and how some things aren't actually laws, but are assumed to be. Or the Trace, for magic before you come of age, why it was first established to only be detectable under non-wizarding roofs."

Rose seemed to have discovered the talkative side of Eric Ogden that Alice had assured her was present, and the pair were still chatting happily when Alice and Anthony returned with their drinks, a suspiciously long twenty minutes later.

They were still chatting even as they went to the bar for the second round of drinks, and lagged behind Alice and Anthony as they walked back to Hogwarts, their breath being used for conversation rather than exercise.

Alice shook her head in disbelief at Rose as they finally returned to their dormitory, Rose and Eric having said goodbye in a hug that was completely friends-only and Alice and Anthony having said goodbye in a kiss that was decidedly _not _friends-only.

"I thought you wanted a date!" she said, exasperated.

Rose shrugged. She was happy with the outcome of her not-date. Although she and Eric had quickly come to the conclusion that they weren't boyfriend-girlfriend material, they had decided to meet up once a week.

Eric needed to improve his grades quite a bit to have a hope of obtaining one of the places at the four universities, as there was fierce competition for them, and Rose had volunteered to tutor him.

"I made a friend," Rose shrugged, not at all bothered. Alice sighed. It was Rose who had decided that she wanted a boyfriend – if she had now decided that she didn't want one, that was her problem.

Eric, too, was happy with the outcome of the date. Not only had he gained a friend and a tutor, he'd discovered that the fearsome Rose Weasley was human after all.

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**Chapter title - One Of The Boys - Katy Perry**


	39. I Wanna Play Ball Now And That's All

**Ooh, okay. A really short chapter this time. The shortest one in this entire year, in fact. Sorry. Still, I hope that you like it. And I kind of already gave this chapter away, accidentally! Ugh, stupid slip in that results chapter!**

**Thanks for reviewing: Twisted Identity, Kitty Bridgeta, Joelle8, dawnghost, anamolly2013, silverbirch, Palindromed, Arlath's Daughter, Likewow5556, Doni and Marciabarcia**

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**Chapter 39: I Wanna Play Ball Now And That's All**

**A Very Important Quidditch Match - March 2023**

Aisha glanced at her opponent. He grinned happily at her; she rolled her eyes. She loved Quidditch, nothing could beat the feeling of freedom as she flew through the air. It annoyed her that, despite having won several matches over the last years, they had yet to win the Quidditch Cup. Slytherin had reached the final during her first year on the team, only to have Ravenclaw win by a narrow margin.

Last year, Lily had joined the team, yet despite superb performances, they still hadn't made the cut. Despite winning the match against Gryffindor, not to mention severely injuring Scorpius and Lily in the process, they hadn't won by enough of a margin to be in the final, particularly when Scorpius recovered and demonstrated his Gryffindor courage by getting right back up and playing Quidditch again. They'd wiped the floor with Hufflepuff, and then again with Ravenclaw, and students in all Houses had been extremely impressed.

Even more so when Scorpius hadn't boasted about his injuries, just glowed with quiet nobility. Indeed, he'd got a girlfriend from it – Branwen Kendrick, a Gryffindor Chaser who seemed to bounce from lesson to lesson, so filled with bubbly energy that Aisha had no idea how she did it.

This would be the last year when Aisha would be able to devote this much time to Quidditch, she knew. She would still play next year, unlike Rose, who planned to give up. The Ravenclaw didn't think that she would be able to find the time. Aisha was certain that she would. Although the adage "A change is as good as a rest," was, in her opinion, complete rubbish, sometimes she needed the fresh air and complete focus that Quidditch could give her.

The only problem was her position. She liked being a Seeker – agile and fast, she'd been perfect for it. But it offered too much of an opportunity to drift into thought, something to which she (thankfully) wasn't overly prone, at least not in comparison to Lily or Alice, both of whom seemed to have an internal narrating voice.

The weather didn't lend itself to drifting off either. Forget April showers; this was a March thunderstorm, and its fury meant that there were comparatively few onlookers to the match.

Lysander had taught her a Warmth Charm though, one which he had been taught by his parents. She, in turn, had told all of her team-mates, Lily especially. The red-headed fourth year, the youngest member and only other girl on the team was probably the most vulnerable to the elements, although the wind didn't seem to distract her aim as she hit a particularly fierce Bludger towards Scorpius, forcing him to dodge and giving a Slytherin Chaser the chance to score a goal.

They could barely hear the new score over the roar of the wind, but Aisha had kept an internal count. _'Yes'_she exulted silently. They were fifty points up – now she could catch the Snitch. Any sooner and they would have won the match, but lost any chance at competing in the Cup, as Gryffindor had won their last match, against Ravenclaw, by an impressive 180-point margin.

Finding the Snitch, however, was another matter. Her team-mates knew what to do, of course. They now had to concentrate on defence, the Beaters especially, until she had caught the Snitch.

It was down to her.

Minutes passed, her soaked Quidditch robes clinging to her heavily. Then she saw it. It was tiny, and she couldn't be certain, but a hunch was better than nothing.

Forcing her broom down, she flattened herself to it as she sped towards the golden glint. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Albus approaching too, and being forced to swerve off course by a Bludger. But her main focus was on the Snitch, and it grew larger in her vision as she approached. Just at the last minute, it darted sideways, and she wrenched the handle of her broom to follow it.

Then she felt an impact crash into her and, in a tangle of legs, arms and brooms, she and Albus fell the metre or so to the floor.

It was impossible to say who broke whose fall. The air was driven out of her by the landing, but other than that she was fine. Albus seemed to be fine too, judging by the brightness of his green eyes. The glasses didn't stop her from seeing anything. In fact, Charmed to repel the rain, they seemed to only magnify the ever-present twinkle in those eyes.

Eyes which were very close to hers….and looking at her lips. Automatically, her gaze moved to his lips. Which were moving towards hers. Before she knew it, he was kissing her. She felt dimly conscious of the many spectators, and a brief embarrassment over it. There was the briefest of hesitations on her side whether to kiss him back - he was Albus, he was her friend, they were in the middle of a Quidditch field...but he was kissing her and that clinched the deal as she did, indeed, kiss him back.

She didn't have much experience with the matter, but she was certain that kisses weren't normally this wet. The rain was so heavy that it was almost like being in the shower. Water ran down her face, and she didn't know if it was from the rain, or dripping from either of their hair, which were equal in their wetness and their blackness.

But such concerns were in the back of her mind as the kiss ended and the pair separated.

"Go on, ask her out!" a male voice shouted at them, and the roaring in her ears began to subside as the cheering of the crowd returned.

Albus looked at her questioningly. She wouldn't make him ask. Nodding her yes to his unspoken question, he stood up and pulled her to her feet.

"Oh," she said, startled to feel the fluttering of wings against the hand which had been buried beneath her body. "I caught the Snitch. We won!"

The Slytherin team erupted in celebrating, but Albus couldn't be too devastated. Looking at Aisha, he thought to himself. _'I won, too.'_

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**Inter-Eight Relationships. Finally. Comments?**

**Chapter title - I Don't Dance, High School Musical 2**


	40. Hanging Out In The Sun

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**Most positive reactions to Albus/Aisha! Yay!**

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**Chapter 40: Going Out With My Mates, Hanging Out In The Sun**

**April 2023: Visiting the Potters for the Easter Holiday**

Aisha was extremely nervous. Such an event didn't happen often in her life. She was, after all, the quintessential Slytherin, firmly behind a screen that hid her emotions. Slytherins were dignified, elegant, sophisticated. And always prepared.

But nobody can meet the parents of their boyfriend and be completely calm about it. Or the parents of their girlfriend.

"You've met them before," Lysander pointed out to her.

"I met Ginny. For about five minutes, plus I wasn't Al's girlfriend then."

Scorpius shrugged. "I'm just grateful that you'll take some of the attention off me."

"My parents love you," Lily reassured him.

"_My_ parents, on the other hand….." Rose joked.

Scorpius grinned, not entirely reassured. When it had turned out that Al's seventeenth birthday would occur on the first weekend of the Easter break, Ginny hadn't hesitated to throw a huge party, which would not only include Al's seven closest friends, but also the entire Weasley clan. A prospect intimidating enough to make any wizard gulp, Gryffindors included.

They had reached the Leaky Cauldron, to the relief of most of them. Walking along Diagon Alley in Muggle clothing had earned them a few odd looks, especially when people noticed who it was in the group.

Albus had recommended Muggle clothes, since the majority of the Weasleys did wear them when not at work or outside the house. This had proved more problematic for some than others. Lia, obviously, had no issue with them. Alice, living as she did in London, had discovered Muggle fashion some time ago and loved it for the greater flexibility it gave over robes. Lysander had relatively normal clothes, chosen after careful study of what English Muggles wore. Lorcan hadn't bothered to study what English Muggles wore, and thus had arrived in an odd ensemble gathered from half a dozen countries around the globe.

Aisha had spent the longest deliberating over her outfit. She didn't want to look too Muggle, or too slutty, or too religious. But she did want to look amazing. It took the counsel of all of her female friends, and her older sister, but at last she had compiled the perfect ensemble, a white summery dress with red shoes and a red headband to hold back her dark hair.

Scorpius had the opposite problem. He couldn't look like he was unfamiliar to Muggle dressing, because that would open him up to myriad sneers. Another boy might have spent longer deliberating over it. But Scorpius was lucky enough to have a generally happy nature, and his time at Hogwarts had helped him to forget the stigma that followed his surname. So he might have spent five extra minutes on his clothing, but not much more.

Lysander held open the door that led to the Leaky Cauldron's interior, ushering the other six inside. This was where they were meeting Alice, along with using the Floo to actually arrive at Al's house. Only Lia and Rose were actually seventeen, and only Rose had actually passed her test and could Apparate. And she didn't feel comfortable with Side-Along for seven others.

As they entered, greetings rang out from the staff for Aisha. She'd worked there last summer and managed to embed herself firmly into their hearts, as she did with most people whom she met. Alice had worked there with her, and done equally well, although Rose suspected that only Alice's charm and the fact that her parents were owners had stopped her from receiving slightly less glowing reviews, as the work was not to her taste. It did stretch her brain, or at least her memory, however, which she was quite grateful for.

Lorcan and Lysander, travelling with their parents, didn't need a summer job. Albus couldn't have one yet – for all Lily's protests that she was old enough to be left alone, Ginny and Harry didn't feel comfortable doing so every day. Ron refused to let Rose have one. Having grown up feeling uncomfortable about his money, he had ensured that his children never needed for pocket money. Lia had got one at home, where seasonal work to accommodate the heightened numbers of tourists was plentiful and Scorpius, like Rose, had parents who refused to allow him to get a part-time job.

The group headed up the steps which led to the Longbottoms' flat. Before they even reached the door, Alice pulled it open and welcomed them in. Within moments they were gathered in front of the Floo and ready to depart.

Rose, by common agreement, went first. Al's house in Godric's Hollow was so close to her own that as children they had treated the two places as interchangeable. The twins' followed, equally comfortable with the place after spending long stretches of time there whilst Luna and Rolf visited regions too dangerous to take children to. Lia followed, Alice directly on her heels to help ease her friend into greeting the madness that was the Weasley family.

Now only Lily, Scorpius and Aisha were remaining.

"After you," Scorpius said to Aisha.

"How gentlemanly," Lily said sarcastically.

"Because politeness can be the only reason why he'd suggest such a thing," Aisha agreed. "Aren't you supposed to be a brave, bold Gryffindor?"

Sighing, knowing that winning an argument against these two Slytherins was impossible, Scorpius took the plunge.

Aisha was next, still reluctant but knowing that it made sense for Lily to bring up the rear.

Getting to her feet in the living room, Lily tried to look at the crowd as if it was her first time at one of these gatherings, attempting to see what Aisha or Scorpius might be seeing. There seemed to be a ridiculous number of people, although thankfully most of those were outside. If one didn't know better then you'd think a bomb had just gone off, given the way that nobody seemed to be capable of staying still for even an instant.

It was a shame that they weren't all ginger, which would have made the onlooker wonder if the bomb had in fact been a rain of fire, which had set fire to them all. Instead, Rose and Lily were the only children who had properly red hair. Dominique could be classed strawberry blonde, and Roxanne's hair gleamed copper in the sunlight, but the rest had inherited hair through the non-Weasley parent, black in James and Al's case, black in Fred's case, brown in Hugo's, blonde in Victoire's, a deceptively innocent-seeming brown (after their mother) in Lucy and Molly's and a completely bewildering brown in Louis's. That was presumed to be from some Delacour ancestor, as it certainly wasn't a Weasley trait.

Scorpius, as it turned out, hadn't needed to worry about his reception at the gathering. The parents had barely had time to see him before he was swamped by all of the old Gryffindor Quidditch team, most of whom had played and trained with him and were, as a result, good friends. They demanded news, judgements on the new players and verification of James' opinion that Gryffindor's loss in the match against Hufflepuff had been largely due to the little blonde girl who was talking with Ginny on the patio.

Alice was both hovering protectively nearby and chatting with Fleur as they set the table with plates and cutlery. The Scamander twins had separated, Lysander greeting Percy like old friends. Lysander had always felt more comfortable talking to adults than other children and he genuinely seemed to find Percy good companionship. Lorcan had gone to find Louis, as the two were close friends despite the year's age gap.

Rose had just finished hugging her father. Six years of experience hadn't dulled how much she missed her family, Ron especially. Harry was in the kitchen, with Molly and Kipling, the House-Elf, both persistently trying to help, despite Harry's attempts to remind the former that she was a guest and the latter that it was his day off.

Various other Weasleys and their spouses were scattered around the area. Depending on their age, gender and personality, the teens either chased each other, shot spells at each other or chattered happily from their seats.

Albus was right beside them all of a sudden, greeting Aisha with a hug and a very chaste kiss. Any more, Lily knew, and her eldest brother, plus all of her Weasley cousins, would start whooping. Al then took responsibility over introducing Aisha to all of the adults.

Characteristically, Aisha took stock of them all, adding what she now saw to what she had already learned through gossip, conversation or History of Magic lessons. Molly, plump, hair greying, yet still motherly in the way she crushed Aisha with a hug. Arthur. Any other man might have seemed worn by his wife's nagging and the losses which he had endured but he seemed still to have a strong sense of humour and Aisha could see more than a bit of Albus in him. Or more than a bit of him in Albus, she supposed.

Percy was quieter than his brothers, and perhaps more serious. His greeting to her did not have the warmth of the others, but his eyes held an earnestness that made up for that. Audrey, a quiet, shy-seeming brunette, until the twins did something to misbehave and she suddenly showed a whole new, stern side to her. An Apothecary according to Albus, Aisha discovered that she was in fact a Muggle, and a pharmacist. She and Fleur were possibly the most gentle in their welcome, knowing full well what it was like to be thrown into this environment.

Fleur was still, even after three children, stunningly beautiful. Her charm had aged into a grace and elegance that Aisha could see Alice watching. Bill, at first glance, might have scared Aisha six years ago. Now, after her years in the wizarding world, she had become more hardened to scars which would have been one in a million in the Muggle world.

Charlie, as Aisha had heard, was the only bachelor among the set. He didn't seem grieved over it though. Looking around at all the people, Aisha could see why. It wasn't as though he lacked for companionship when he wanted it, or children to care for if he wanted that. And at the end of it all he could still go back to independence and rest if he so wished, or the friends that he no doubt had in China, where he now worked. At least, if the world was fair then he would have friends, for he seemed to be a kind, if quiet man, who seemed to be content and who was, according to Albus, nearly all of the children's favourite uncle.

Angelina and George stood with Ginny and Arthur, all lost in laughter and humour. Approaching them was wonderful, feeling as it did like you were being welcomed into a circle of warmth that never ceased. Angelina and George – the two names would forever be said together in Aisha's mind, as though to say 'George' or 'Angelina' alone would be wrong – greeted her as one, with a hug, a kiss on the cheek and an assurance that 'if she stuck around, she'd learn the names eventually.' And that it didn't matter whether she did or not – standing with a plate of biscuits would have the same effect on them as calling any of their names.

Then, of course, there were Rose's parents. Rose had separated from her father now, and was greeting her mother. The two weren't stood together. Indeed, Aisha noticed, of all the couples, only Angelina and George were. Ron was stood with Bill and Charlie near what looked like a Muggle barbecue, although Aisha suspected something else might be powering it. He was tall but friendly as he greeted her and she watched him interact with his daughter and his siblings. At first glance, he seemed entirely unlike Rose, which was very different to Hermione. Aisha could see more than a bit of her friend in the woman who was happily expounding her theories to all nearby. Intelligence could be taken for granted, but the two seemed to share a drive to know more, and a slight disregard for the opinions of others compared to their own. But as Aisha watched for longer, she also saw that Rose's stubbornness came from her father, as did her looks, even if her mannerisms imitated her mother.

And then it was the big two. Harry, who seemed charming and polite. Oddly practised too – Aisha suspected he'd already experienced this more than once with his elder son, and wondered how at ease he'd feel about it when it was Lily. Try as she might, she couldn't see very much of him in her boyfriend, other than the obvious physical qualities. Ginny was another matter – hearing her laughter was eerie, in how closely it echoed her son's.

Scorpius, who had moved on from discussing the Hogwarts Quidditch team to the Quidditch League was speaking to Fred, who had been signed to play for the Kestrels three months ago. In between fierce argument, Scorpius silently thanked his lucky stars (a more appropriate term for him than many, given that he could even point out his lucky name stars in the sky) that he was the one who the Weasleys had to hide their curiosity about, for politeness' sake. Aisha got the third degree and introductions. All he had to cope with was having his every move watched by someone or another. Not in a suspicious way, he knew, just in fascination at every similarity and difference he showed from his ancestors.

Scorpius and Fred's argument degenerated to one point – they should have a Quidditch match. The instant that the words were said, they had the attention of seemingly everyone present.

"Who versus who?" Louis asked instantly.

James frowned. "Not enough for the different Houses," he mused. "Gryffindor would have a bit of an advantage."

Lily nodded. "Especially as two of us seven non-Gryffindorks don't even play Quidditch," she pointed out, amidst glares, gasps, growls and rolled eyes over her use of the slur.

"Parents versus kids?" Roxanne said, with a gleam in her eye.

"Wrong positions," Ron pointed out.

"You'd have a fight over the Seeker, for a start," Charlie said, eyeing Harry.

"And Keeper," Bill reminded them.

"We'd have seven though," Angelina said, getting into the idea now.

"You wouldn't be the only ones with a fight on your hands," Albus warned them, with an eye on his girlfriend, best friend and cousin.

"There's not enough boys of my generation for girls versus boys," Rose pointed out.

"Old against young it is then," Ginny laughed.

The two camps instantly separated. Victoire and Teddy paused. Out of education and engaged to be married, they couldn't be called kids. But they weren't part of the same generation as was making up the other team, even if they did need a Chaser more. Finally, she decided to be referee, as she had done before for her siblings' games. Although never for her parents'.

In the kid's camp, they were having no problems filling all the positions – it was who got to have them and who got to be Captain. With four (or three, if you counted Lucy and Molly's joint captaincy as one) ex-Captains and two current Captains, there was some heated debate. They decided that all of the Captains should get to play, filling all three Chaser positions and the Beaters.

But they still faced argument between Scorpius and Rose, both Quidditch Captains, both Keepers. Dominique had already surrendered, like Lia, who had given her place to the twins, as she didn't feel it fair to split them up. In the end, Rose decided that Scorpius needed to get to know the Weasleys, and what better way than to compete against them?

The final battle was between Albus and Aisha, and it was fascinating. Neither wanted to jeopardise a recently-begun relationship over Quidditch, and it was undeniable that it had been just as Aisha had beaten Albus to the Snitch that he had kissed her. In the end, this, and possibly a touch of chivalry, was what decided it and Aisha was the seventh player to line up on the team against the others.

Meanwhile, the adults were facing a battle equally as pitched. None of their players had to sit out, but Bill and Ron both wanted their spot as Keeper whilst Harry and Charlie were competing for a shot at being Seeker. They had three ex-Captains too, and like their children, two of them were competing for the same place. Bill and Ron quite easily settled their problem - George needed a fellow Beater, and Bill was probably the best for the position. And none of them really wanted to talk on that too much.

Only Charlie would stand up to the Boy-Who-Lived, youngest Seeker in a century, who had hardly ever lost a game. But, as Charlie pointed out, they had won more Championships under his Captaincy. Unfortunately, with this statement he trapped himself into being a Chaser, since 'he was obviously a better Captain and so probably knew more about how to be a Chaser.'

And with that all decided, the match was prepared, brooms were handed out, a set of Quidditch balls were let loose, their range curtailed to the air above the house, and the game was on.

Fred was the first to grab the Quaffle as it was released, and he flew straight at Ron as if to aim for the goal. At the last moment, however, he passed to Roxanne, who caught it easily and threw it through the arch of trees which was acting as the goal.

The other parents, wives and non-Weasleys booed their own children, whilst siblings and friends of those children shouted encouragement. Molly sighed, but fondly, and Arthur just laughed.

The lead was kept by Fred's team for quite some time, as the two Keepers fiercely defended their goals with the aid of their Beaters. Ten minutes later, when the score remained at 10-nil to the kids, Harry sighted the Snitch. Unfortunately, Aisha had seen it first and was already zipping after it.

But they both lost it and, scowling, tuned back into the game to realise that the parents had equalised, thanks to Angelina.

Aisha circled, relishing the feel of being free from gravity that seemed so natural to her. As she watched, George aimed a Bludger at Fred that forced his son to soar away before he caught the Quaffle and leaving it open to be snatched by Bill, who passed to Ginny, who passed to Angelina, the three of them flying in formation towards Scorpius. A credit to his Gryffindor colours, he didn't flinch at the sight of three adults rapidly bearing down on him, but kept his eyes focused on the Quaffle as it darted between the three, until finally…

And he caught it!

Grinning in delight, Aisha looked around to see that Harry had gone into a dive. She growled angrily. That had always been her greatest weakness as a Seeker, too much curiosity in how the rest of the game was progressing to keep an eye out for the Snitch.

She forced her broom after Harry's, too caught up in the moment to reflect on how rapidly she had become comfortable with these near-strangers. Then, her lighter frame powering her so that she levelled with Harry, she saw the blank expanse of grass. No Snitch. _The Wronski Feint!_ her mind screamed, even as her muscles screamed with the effort of immediately pulling her broom up.

Were it not for her swimming training, she might not have done it. But that reminded her to move on all angles, in all dimensions and instead of pulling up at ninety degrees, as Harry was now doing, she twisted her broom to the side and up, reducing the air resistance and, she hoped, giving her the chance to escape the imminent collision with the floor.

And she was successful. Both Seekers returned to the match, Ginny rolling her eyes at her husband as he flew by.

"I don't think your son would have thanked you if you ruined his girlfriend's good looks," she reminded him.

Harry grimaced, slightly guiltily. "I know. It was sort of instinct. I did think I saw the Snitch, and then I was already in the dive. Probably broke the ice, though."

Ginny sighed. "Oliver would be proud. You finally took his advice to stop acting like a gentleman."

"I haven't knocked anyone off their broom," he protested.

"OI! You two!" Ron's voice cut across their conversation. "D'you want to stop gossiping like an old married couple and get back in the game?"

Shamefaced, they did so. And the game continued.

The final score, before the Snitch's capture, was seventy-ninety, to the adults. Then Aisha caught the Snitch, and brought the game home for the kids. They settled down to eat with raging appetites and good humour.

Conversation was no longer stilted, as that was impossible now that they had tried to pound each others' heads in with heavy flying balls.

The food was delicious, as Scorpius and Aisha eagerly agreed. And when the first drops of rain broke out, which was inevitable for March in England, Hermione simply raised her wand and the entire garden was under a giant bubble, around the edges of which rain fell like a waterfall, giving the meal a mystic feel.

Al's cake was huge, as was necessary to feed quite so many people, and shaped like Hogwarts. The adults gasped and oohed and aahed, turning to Harry for congratulations at his skill, but he pointed them towards those who had actually made the cake – Scorpius and Alice, working together in Hogwarts kitchens, refusing the help of the house-elves. Rose had let slip to both that the other loved to cook, and to create, and they had made this masterpiece. Scorpius mumbled something in response and Alice, attention-seeker though she was, still blushed at the honest praise that came her way, delighted to her core. Candles blazed in each of its four towers and they all sang together as Albus let out a big breath to extinguish them.

And even when the meal had completely finished, and all presents had been handed over, Aisha and Scorpius helped to clear up. Then, once the tables were clear and a huge, magical bonfire lit to keep them warm, they all gathered around. The adults slowly began to depart and the two teenagers watched, knowing that it would be their turn soon to leave. And not wanting to.

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**Scouting For Girls, I Need A Holiday, gave us our chapter title today.**

**x**


	41. Pick Your Favourite Shade of Black

**A/N: I had Neville being the leader of Dumbledore's Army. For explanations as to why, credit Thanfiction's superb work - Dumbledore's Army and the Year of Darkness. I also didn't write the speeches. Blame my lack of speech-writing skills.**

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**By the way, I have this being the first major anniversary our eight have been present for , since twentieth anniversaries aren't normally considered as important. Also, not all of those I have listed as dead are necessarily canon dead - JK just said roughly fifty bodies, and I've given a few names to those. Plus, that was only the bodies of those on the 'Good' Side.**

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**Chapter 41: Pick Your Favourite Shade Of Black, You'd Best Prepare A Speech**

**May 2023: 25th Anniversary of the End of The War**

The preparations had been going on for weeks. Various important visitors, rushing in and out of the castle. It wasn't hard to work out why, if you could count and you knew just a little bit of recent history.

May 2nd was only a fortnight away. And it would be the twenty-fourth time that it had been May 2nd since Fred Weasley, Vincent Crabbe, Colin Creevey, Pansy Parkinson, Remus Lupin, Severus Snape, Nymphadora Lupin, Bellatrix Lestrange, Wayne Hopkins, Anthony Goldstein, Sandhall Parkinson, Demelza Robbins,Tom Riddle and many others had died. Twenty-five years since the bloody end of the Second Wizarding War.

As Prefects, several of the students would be taking part in the ceremony. As war heroes, many of their parents would be as well.

It was a bright, sunny day that dawned on the birthday of their Charms Professor. Lessons had been cancelled and benches were already set up in the courtyard in Hogwarts. This, unlike the one-year and ten-year anniversaries, was a private event. Only those who had fought in the Battle of Hogwarts were invited, along with the students of Hogwarts. Others were welcome to attend the many celebrations going on elsewhere. But it was here that the 'celebrities' would be.

The adults began to arrive around ten o'clock. Some of them took the time to gaze, not for the first time, at the Wall. This was a white marble expanse which covered the far side of the Entrance Hall, near the stairs over which Sybil Trelawney had thrown crystal balls at Fenrir Greyback and other Death Eaters to protect Lavender Brown. On it was written the names of every person who had died in the Battle. At least, those who had died on the side of the good.

There'd been a lot of discussion about this. Many wanted to add the names of those who had fought and died for Voldemort whilst Imperiused to the Wall. But where did you draw the line? The Slytherins who had been brainwashed into it? The children who only wished to please parents? The insane, who were too far gone to know better? In the end, it had been left how it was. For now.

The pupils arrived just after lunchtime, streaming out. They were deliberately not being separated into Houses, though they did wear their formal robes, with the House badges of colour and it was strange to see, at least for the parents, as Hufflepuffs held hands with Ravenclaws and Gryffindors wept into the shoulders of Slytherins.

Albus sat with Lorcan, Lia and Alice. Aisha, whose hand he would have held, Rose, Lysander and Scorpius were all taking part in the ceremony, as Prefects. They'd not been told really what they had to do – other than be waiting in the Entrance Hall at the appointed time.

And with no fanfare but the Hogwarts clock striking two, they began.

Kingsley had become the leader of the Order of the Phoenix in that year, once Dumbledore had fallen. But he was not the first to speak. Harry had defeated Voldemort and was the figurehead for it all, to the public and to the enemy. But he was not the first to speak. To the surprise of a few of his first-year students, the first person to speak was none other than their unassuming, courteous Herbology Professor. In the end, the first stand had been made by Dumbledore's Army. And Dumbledore's Army, during that terrible year, had been led by Neville.

He looked awkward even as he made his speech. Like Harry, he wasn't certain on his inspiring speeches. But his words were heartfelt and they touched a chord in the siblings, cousins, parents and friends of those who had died that night, and in the hearts of those who had fought. Alice watched him with her normally concealed love and pride, as did Hannah, over in the parents' section.

He didn't speak of glory, or of loss. Instead he spoke of suffering, and endurance. Something that could be attributed to all the Houses. And those of all four Houses who had fought watched and nodded.

Then he handed over to McGonagall. She, too, spoke of endurance. Of patience. Of cunning. The Year (as it was known) hadn't been one for out and out battle, but small fights, shrewd plans, hard work and, yes, a little courage.

Harry, finally, made a brief speech. It was short, and to the point.

"Thank you for all coming here today. But thank you more for coming here twenty-five years ago, for fighting here twenty-five years ago. So that my children, and yours, could experience this school as it was meant to be. We all lost people in the War, whether it was that night or another, and it is for them that this memorial has been arranged. But I know that they would thank us for living, for loving and for experiencing the world that they gave to us."

He smiled slightly and turned to his friend, who was waiting beside him. "I think Hermione has the plan for the main event, so if we'd all like to watch her."

Hermione blushed and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. She nodded. "First, I'd just like to say one more thank you. To all of those who lost people in the War. It's the hardest thing in the world to be left behind, as a friend of mine knows very well," Ginny blushed in the audience, "and thank you for coping with that. We all have our memories of those who aren't with us any more, too many of them to see clearly in our head. But memories fade, and in something as important as this, they cannot be allowed to. Which is why my team have designed this."

On cue, the Prefects marched forward from the side of the courtyard where they had been standing. Fifth-Years first, then Sixth, then Seventh. The Head Girl and Head Boy brought up the rear, before going to stand at either end. They formed three lines, one on each of the steps into the castle. As was human nature, everyone sought to pick out their friends, their children, their relatives.

Aisha was the first one who Alice noticed, standing proud on the second step with Scorpius on her right and Lysander on her left. To his left were Amy Burke and Richard Buckley, the Hufflepuff Prefects, whilst to the right of Scorpius were Aileen McKenzie, Anthony Stretton and finally Rose, right on the end. Louis Weasley stood on the step in front of them, proudly representing Hufflepuff, whilst James stood as a Gryffindor Prefect on the highest step.

She, of course, was not the only one eyeing some of them. Scorpius especially could feel several stares upon him and he resigned himself to it, knowing that they were delighted to have him there, as a symbol of how things were changing.

Scorpius hated being a symbol sometimes.

At other times, he welcomed it, knowing that symbols are necessary and that it was up to him to be the best one he could be. But in the same way that Harry had hated being the figurehead of the fight against Voldemort, he felt uncomfortable about being loved (and hated) by people about something over which he had little control.

Three adults also appeared, standing next to Hermione. Hermione watched them enter and, once they had, turned back to her audience. "Please," she said, "Feel free to join in with myself, my team and our Prefects. Just say 'Aedifico' and point your wand at the scaffold."

The scaffold was a blank circle of stone in the centre of the courtyard.

"_Aedifico Consilium_," Hermione recited, and immediately began executing her wand in a complex pattern of spirals, sweeps and jabs.

The Prefects, Professors and Harry, on the other hand, simply raised their wands to the scaffold and cried "_Aedifico!"_

Gleaming light seemed to be shining on the stone, dust particles swirling in the illuminated air. The particles moved faster and faster, until Albus realised that they weren't dust particles, but little particles of magic, the concentrated magical power that his father and all the other wizards and witches were sending.

In the audience, more and more were catching on. Rose watched, her quick brain working out what was happening. Magical architecture was normally done by several wizards, each on their own tasks. Occasionally, however, the architect would simply concentrate on the design in their head and others would only be contributing the power. The more power that was given, the faster the building took place. Usually, raw materials such as stone, wood and glass were left on the site. Here, the structure, whatever it might be, seemed to be forming out of pure magic.

It should have taken months, or at least weeks. But with nearly five hundred wizards contributing the power, even if some of those wizards were eleven years old, it was appearing before their very eyes.

A shallow bowl, a central pillar, patterns shaping themselves on both. Centaurs, merpeople, giants, House-Elves – all those who had fought in the Battle. And the emblems of all four Houses, rioting around the basin in a never-ending chain. Snake and Badger, Lion and Eagle.

Watching the scene, watching the crowd of wizards, all joined in this one spell, Lysander felt a tightness in his chest. The emotion had got to more than one of his fellow students, and some of their Professors. Tears fell openly, unashamedly, as faces, looking strange in the illumination of the spell, gazed earnestly at the structure they were building.

After mere minutes, Hermione lowered her wand and the others copied her. As one, they stared at what they had created. Only Hermione, and her research team (Padma Patil, Justin Finch-Fletchley and Ally Standish) had known what was being built.

It was a fountain. The water rose up the central pillar in a spiral, defying gravity, then sprayed out in a mist to sprinkle down into the basin below. But the spray seemed to have an odd, silvery tint that defied your efforts to look through it that couldn't be a reflection of the blue sky.

"The Memory Fountain," Hermione said simply. "Or Fontana Pensievo, if you want to be formal." She turned to the others. "And if one of you would like to explain further…"

Padma smiled at her. "Of course," she said gently. She and Ally took Hermione and guided her to a seat, into which she collapsed with some relief. Whilst it hadn't taken much magic from any of them, the mental agility required to keep all of the details straight in your mind was immense. One of the reasons that building teams preferred to use several, rather than one, wizard.

Justin introduced himself and the others, before taking over the explanation. "Basically," he said, "The Fountain behaves a lot like a Pensieve. You can put memories into it, and they will be safe for ever. They can be viewed just by looking into the spray. But the memories won't leave your mind, as they would in a Pensieve, nor can one properly 'jump into' the memories. It's just a fleeting glance, a brief laugh, a smile. The things that are most easily forgotten, and hardest to pass down."

He glanced around. "Okay, I guess I'll demonstrate."

He walked towards the fountain and, raising his wand to his temples, drew away a small silvery strand, which he deposited into the water. A few moments later, the laugh of Sally-Anne Perks echoed through the courtyard. Sally-Anne had never seen her seventh year. Hufflepuff, of age, and Muggleborn like Justin, she had reported for registration. Nobody knew why she'd been so foolish as to go to the Ministry, but she had never returned.

Slowly, they began to form a queue. Orderly and polite, of course – they were British, after all.

Some put in one memory, only to return to the back of the line and add another. Some waited hungrily for the memory-adding to end, waiting to see the face or hear the voice of a relative they had never met, Lia and Teddy Lupin among them.

They waited a long time. The Weasley family alone had myriad memories of Fred to add, and he was only one of the losses which they mourned.

As dark fell, Kingsley had to announce the end of the ceremony, and assured them all, on Professor Adams' promise, that they could return at any time, as could any other witch and wizard, to add a memory of a loved one whom they had lost, or even memories of laughter they had shared, living and dead together. Dances where Natalie McDonald hadn't been trapped in a wheelchair. Jokes where Megan Jones had still been able to speak and laugh in a voice not turned permanently hoarse by screaming. Words which Malcolm Baddock had written before his hands had been amputated by Death Eaters furious at a Slytherin traitor.

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**Chapter title from I'm Still Breathing - Katy Perry**

**By the way, I nearly put in a moment of silence, but in the end chose not to. It felt wrong to do so for a fictional event, even one in which fictional children die. **

**x**


	42. Don't You Wanna Go Down In History?

**Thanks for reviewing, I am so delighted by your responses: Doni, dawnghost, Likewow5556, Arlath's Daughter, silverbirch, Twisted Identity, Joelle8, sylphides, anamolly2013, shine lots, Marciabarcia, Kitty Bridgeta and SeekDreamsAndFindHope**

**By the way, I know I am updating very regularly. That's because there are roughly fifteen chapters left, and I start a full-time job in July. And if I haven't finished by then, updates might become twice-monthly rather than twice-weekly. **

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**Chapter 42: Don't You Wanna Go Down In History**

**The End of Sixth Year: May 2023**

Rose put her quill down, rubbing her forehead. Glancing up, she saw Lily winding her way through the tables, and smiled in greeting.

Her cousin stormed over to her and Lia, and fairly slammed her bag down.

"Ugh," she complained, throwing herself into a seat. "Some of the girls in this school are just so _moronic_."

"Tell me something I don't know," Rose replied dryly, flicking over the page of her textbook as she continued to make notes.

"I mean, it's a boarding school. We have mirrors in our bedrooms, for Godric's sake. Do they use them? Do they heck! Instead, they're clogging up the bathrooms, hogging all the sinks, constantly reapplying make-up. We're only halfway through the day! That's what you do when you get dressed in the morning. Then you stop. You don't need to put make-up on every single time that you have five minutes spare!"

Lia smiled in sympathy. Rose laughed. "Even Alice doesn't put it on that much," she agreed.

"I know! Even the Professors don't, and they actually have wrinkles to cover! Which is the _point _of make-up, right? That and to attract boys, which isn't the main thing to consider when you're trying to do your Potions homework. Not to mention they were about twelve years old. They shouldn't even know how to do half of those Charms."

Her entire rant had been conducted in a whisper, her voice rising in pitch but not in volume as she continued. Fairly squeaking now, she pulled out a roll of parchment of her own.

"It makes me want to say something like 'you know you only get uglier with each coat'," Rose added. "Or that with a face that horrific, not even magic make-up is going to make a difference."

Now both Lia and Lily laughed, albeit very quietly. Rose changed the subject. "Anyway, I'm surprised you dare sit here," she teased Lily.

Lily looked confused. "Why?" she asked.

For an answer, Rose glanced to Lia. Comprehension dawned on Lily's face.

"The Quidditch final! Oh, Lia. Sorry."

Lia shrugged. "It's Quidditch. Someone has to win, someone has to lose. At least we came second." She smiled, a touch of wickedness in her eyes. "And it's not like we didn't keep each other busy."

Lily grinned and agreed. What with both being Beaters, any Hufflepuff-Slytherin matches tended to involve a lot of Lily blocking Bludgers hit by Lia, or vice versa, although at least the two girls didn't have to aim directly at each other. It was worst for Lia, as no matter what House she played, she aimed at friends. Lily actually enjoyed it most when she played against Gryffindor – by this point, other than Albus and Scorpius, only James remained as a Chaser on the Gryffindor team, and as Chasers were possibly the main target for Beaters….well, she got lots of revenge for childhood pranks.

As Rose had been insinuating, the Quidditch final had been a week ago; Hufflepuff versus Slytherin, and Slytherin had won. The entire House was thrilled - it was their first victory in eight years, ever since Fred, Victoire and Dominique Weasley had made it onto the Gryffindor team.

Now, with only a fortnight left of term, there was a definite holiday atmosphere. At least, there was for most of the years. For the poor sixth-years and fourth-years, however, holidays didn't exist. Not halfway through the exam syllabus. The professors were still piling work on them, and they hadn't even got around to setting the holiday work yet, although it was sure to be plentiful.

Normally, the lack of work meant that the library was quite a peaceful place, just how Madam Pince, the librarian, liked it. But not today. An unseasonably chilly day (although, at Hogwarts, it wasn't that rare for summer days not to be as warm as some of the more southern students expected) had led to everyone hurrying inside.

Which had led to a rather crowded library, as the room had some of the most draught-proof windows, and several roaring fires.

"What homework are you doing?" Rose asked curiously.

"Potions, although I probably should get started on the History of Magic project."

"Ah, we did that," Rose said nostalgically. "The partner assignment? Where you have to do a project on one of the witches or wizards from the Wizarding Wars?"

Lily nodded. "Who did you work with then?" she questioned.

"We had to work with a partner from another House," Rose remembered. "And Ravenclaw was with Slytherin for History of Magic then. So I worked with Aisha, who wanted to do Cornelius Fudge. And Lysander and Alice worked together on Uncle Percy, all about his apparent attempts to sabotage the Voldemort government from within."

Lily looked at Lia, extending the question to her.

"Scorpius," Lia answered. "It took us forever to pick a witch or wizard." The reason why went unspoken - a lot would be read into Scorpius' choice, and a lot of the good guys that one could have picked would be embarrassing, especially the ones who were friend's parents or Professors.

"Nobody picked one of the Malfoys, did they?" Lily asked.

"No," Lia quickly reassured her. "Wayne Macmillan is the only one who might, and he picked his namesake, Wayne Hopkins. And we did Mr Black - Regulus Black."

This was a surprise to Rose. "Not Sirius Black?" she wondered. "I would have thought that Scorpius was more similar to him. "Quidditch player, popular, Gryffindor when all of his family were Slytherin, good when all of his family..." she trailed off, not wanting to spell it out.

"Apparently a womaniser," Lily inserted slyly. Lia smiled, amused and knowing that Lily only said this to get a reaction out of Rose.

She managed. Rose scowled and said "Branwen Kendrick is lying. I also knew she was horrible. As if Scorpius would cheat on anyone! Some people just can't deal with a boy having female friends. I'm so glad that they've broken up."

Scorpius and Branwen's relationship had ended a few weeks ago, with the girl accusing her boyfriend of cheating on her with one of the four girls that he spent a lot of time with. "And that's the only reason why you're glad," Lia wondered, too quietly for Rose to catch, although Lily heard and winked at her, before giving a start and frowning down at her work again. "I should be concentrating on this," she reminded herself.

A few minutes of quiet working continued, as the chattering in the library increased in volume.

Lily grimaced and tried futilely to block out the noise with a hand over one ear, as the other scribbled down answers to the Potions questions that she rather expected were wrong.

A particularly high-pitched voice beginning to talk just behind her caused her to throw a nasty look over her shoulder. Madam Pince's yells to try and quieten the students down only added to the cacophony of sounds that served to distract her.

Rose and Lia silently watched her frustration. It was building – both of them could see it, and both could sympathise. Rose, at least, was only doing light homework, some copying out that didn't require too much engagement of the brain. Lia was trying to plan an essay, and failing spectacularly.

So when Lily began to whisper irritated comments about the other students, she wasn't in the mood to calm her down. Rather unhelpfully, she did point out that the homework which Lily was trying to complete wouldn't be due in for another two days.

"I don't care," Lily snapped. "By that point, I'll have more homework. So I want to finish this now." She threw another glare over her shoulder at the second years who had now just burst out into giggling. Their voices were too indistinct from all the others for her to at least be able to eavesdrop, and from the tone, she doubted that she'd care anyway. Second-year gossip really didn't interest her.

"If they want to talk, can they just go to their Common Rooms," she growled, making a particularly fierce slash on her page as she crossed out an incorrect answer, tearing the parchment. "Oh, for crying out loud," she snapped, throwing the offending quill down. It bounced and broke, splashing ink all over her work.

As if one cue, the voices of the girls behind them rose in volume again.

Almost snarling, she rose to her feet. Drawing her wand in a fluid motion, she whirled on them.

"Can you _please _SHUT THE HELL UP!" she yelled, effectively silencing the entire room without even using magic "I couldn't give a Thestral's left nostril whether Andrew Sindan fancies you, and I somehow doubt if he will when I've hexed you six ways and backwards." Her wand was millimetres from the nose of one of the offending girls. "So if you know what's good for you, you'll leave and let those who are TRYING to work, get on with that work! Or if you have to stay here, talk in a reasonable tone! Got it!"

She raised her glare to the rest of the room, although her wand didn't leave the girl's face. "That goes for all of you," she snapped, before yanking her wand away and slumping back into her seat.

Lia and Rose stared at her wide-eyed. "Well," Rose managed to say. "That worked."

It had done – the room was almost completely silent now. Silent enough for them to hear the whisper from a boy nearly three tables away.

"And she calls herself a Slytherin. Merlin, it couldn't be more obvious that she doesn't belong in our House."

Lily fought to control her blush and succeeded, for the most part. She stared at her parchment, embarrassed now. The taunt was too similar to ones she'd heard several times before. She often wondered herself how she'd ended up in Slytherin. She had no ambition to speak of, nor the absolute emotional control of most of her Housemates. In the end, the only quality she thought that she had that qualified her for Slytherin was a lack of morals in comparison to either of her brothers, or indeed most of her family.

Although that wasn't what Slytherin was supposed to be, it was the only way she could see that she fit there.

She did present more of a restrained face to the world than her brothers, but compared to the rest of her House it was nothing, especially when you added to this usual façade the occasional rages she would fly into.

She only had one friend in almost the whole school, if you didn't count Lia, Aisha, Alice or any of the other sixth-years who were really her brother's friends more than hers.

Even her sole friend was controversial. Albus had argued with her about it over Christmas, but she'd given him little of her time.

"_I don't trust her!" Albus complained angrily._

"_I don't care!" she snapped back. "She's my friend, not yours."_

"_But her brother-"_

"_Isn't her!" Lily rolled her eyes, something at which she was quite accomplished. "One's a _male Gryffindor _who you don't like, who's in your dorm. Who has blonde hair. The other, my _friend,_ is a _female Slytherin _who I _do _like, who's in _my _dorm and has brown hair. They're _very _different people."_

_Lily always spoke with a lot of emphasis on _certain words _when she was angry. _

"_Elliot can't be trusted." He maintained. "He's friends with Macmillan, and he's always disliked Scorpius."_

"_How do you know?" Lily questioned. "That he doesn't like Scorpius?"_

_Albus opened his mouth to say something, and then shut it, not knowing how foolish that made him look._

"_He's never done anything to Scorpius, who's big enough and bad enough to look after himself. He's just friends with Wayne Macmillan, who doesn't like Scorpius but can't do much about it since pretty much the entire school loves him. Especially now he's Quidditch captain. He's dating Branwen, who might actually be the prettiest girl in your year."_

"_Aisha's prettier," Albus protested._

_Lily smiled at her brother, who wasn't even dating Aisha yet.__ He was very sweet. But she wouldn't be distracted. _

_The whole problem was the fact that Lily's best friend, Serafina Elliot, was the younger sister of Al's roommate, a quiet boy named Gabriel Elliot. Gabriel was best friends with Wayne Macmillan – indeed, he was Wayne's only friend, as Wayne's supercilious nature and inability to admit when he was wrong hadn't won him popularity. Relationships between Wayne and Scorpius had started poorly, before they were even Sorted and had never improved._

"_So you're judging my friend based on who her family is. Sounds almost like Macmillan, don't you think? Or like a Death Eater."_

_Albus was, once again, lost for words. He was regretting getting into this argument now. Really, he ought to have learned his lesson about arguing with Slytherins and Ravenclaws. Aisha or Rose should have taught him that. No Gryffindor or Hufflepuff ever had a chance. The other two Houses had the choice of relentless logic to beat their opponent down, or a subtle twisting of words to ensure that you would somehow end up contradicting yourself._

_It had been then that Alice, who was staying at theirs for Christmas, had come to Al's rescue. In a few words, Albus had apprised her of the whole argument. Surprisingly, she was on Al's side._

"_What about Henry Andrews-Smythe?" Alice had pointed out, taking a new line of attack. "Didn't Serafina Elliot drive him away from Hogwarts?"_

"_That's just stupid gossip!" Lily said furiously. "Some rumours say _I'm _the one who drove Henry away!"_

"_So why did he leave. He was in Hufflepuff, he was happy. People don't just quit Hogwarts at the end of their third-year."_

_Lily sighed. Rumours had been flying around about Henry's sudden departure, but it wasn't that intriguing. He'd been part of their little group of three, Serafina, Lily and Henry. They'd been inseparable, until last July. Even now, he still wrote them letters, telling them that he missed them and letting him know all about his new life – so they were, apart from the Professors, the only ones to know the truth. Although it didn't have to remain a secret, in true Slytherin fashion they'd not seen the point in broadcasting the reasons when it gave them no benefit. You don't need to take back something you never said, after all._

"_Henry went back to his old school." She explained. "He's Muggleborn, but he's more than that. He's Lord Henry or something like that. His life was perfectly planned – he would go to Eton, this posh boarding school, before going to Oxford to study Law, History or…." she frowned, concentrating. "PPE, I think he called it. Politics, Philosophy and, erm, English? I don't know. Anyway, getting a Hogwarts letter threw a wrench in all of those plans. He's the only son of his family, so he inherits the title and the land, and a seat in their Ministry. Or it might be their version of the Wizenmagot. They've got two, which….oh, I hope this is all on the Muggle Studies OWL," she muttered." Otherwise knowing it all is a little pointless."_

"_So where did he go?" Albus prompted. _

"_Back home. To Eton. He'd been doing Muggle schoolwork alongside, up until now. But when we started OWLs, he knew it would get too hard, especially because he's got to do Muggle exams in fifth-year too. So he had to pick – or rather, his parents picked for him."_

"_They picked the Muggle world?" Alice asked. She couldn't understand it. Why would anyone want to do that?_

"_He'd learned enough magic to be useful. He's got contacts to get wizards to do things if he needs them. He can fly a broom, cast a Shield Charm and had enough skill to pick up any particular spells he might need in future." She shrugged. "I don't get it either," Lily admitted. "But he's _Hufflepuff. _He wouldn't disobey his parents, and that's what they chose."_

_Her tone was very final. Realising that no more questions on the topic of Lily's missing friend would be welcome, Alice pursued a new line of attack._

"_Surely if Gabriel didn't have anything against Scorpius, he wouldn't stand by and let Wayne attack him," she pointed out._

"_Attack is really far too strong a word," Lily scoffed. "They're not exactly fighting in the corridors, are they?"_

"_We tried to have a duel once." Albus said instantly. "Second year."_

"_And you got caught in the corridors and got a detention," Rose said witheringly, approaching down the corridor. Her face showed no confusion. "Yes, I can hear you. I'm surprised half the house can't, you're practically shouting."_

"_Still…." Albus muttered._

"_Have you ever even spoken to Gabriel?" Lily asked, more quietly this time._

"_Oh, it's_ Gabriel _now, is it?" Albus asked._

"_Don't be childish," Rose rebuked._

_Albus glared at her. "Whose side are you on?" he asked._

"_I'm reserving judgement," she said loftily. "But please, continue. It's a lot more interesting than watching James show off to Hugo and Frank."_

_Alice sighed. "My brother's such a Hufflepuff," she complained. "Only he would find James impressive."_

"_Have you? Spoken to Gabriel?" Lily asked again. _

"_Of course," Albus said, but he was racking his brains to try and think of when._

"_Or have you even heard him speak?" Alice added, also thinking._

"_Do you know where he's from?" Lily asked. _

_They traded blank looks. If they could even remember him speaking, they might be able to identify an accent, but they couldn't recall a single incident. He must have spoken to Wayne in front of them. Or answered a Professor's question. Not even Lia was that quiet!_

"_How many brothers or sisters does he have?" Lily asked again._

_Albus looked at Rose for help. She knew _everything! _Surely she knew this. But if she did, she was giving no clues. He looked at Alice next. She was the Queen of Gossip. There was almost nothing she didn't know about what was happening at Hogwarts. But she was no help, shaking her head._

"_And to make a round three, is he Muggleborn, half-blood or pure-blood?" Lily asked for a third time._

_Albus frowned, concentrating. You could usually tell this from the early days at Hogwarts – how shocked students were at different bits of magic. "Muggleborn!" he said triumphantly. He'd remembered one piece of overheard conversation – Macmillan explaining a wizard's duel to Elliot._

"_Wrong. Half-blood. You lose."_

"_Question Two was hardly fair!" He protested. "It took me three years to discover that Aisha and Alice both had three siblings."_

"_Fine. Here's an easy one. How old is he?"_

_Albus thought for a moment. He hadn't seen Elliot celebrate a birthday yet this year – it was usually easy for Hogwarts students to tell, since presents had to arrive by owl._

"_Sixteen," he guessed._

"_No."_

"_Seventeen?"_

"_No. He's nineteen."_

_All three of the others looked bewildered._

"_What was that supposed to show us?" Alice asked irritably. She didn't like it when she didn't know something._

"_That you can't judge someone's actions unless you know them. You don't know the Elliots, so you have no bloody right to say that they're not good enough to be friends with me!"_

"_Lily!" Rose chastised at her younger cousin's use of the very mild swear word._

_Lily rolled her eyes._

"_And you do?" Albus snapped._

"_Yes! I do, alright!"_

"_Then tell us, and we might leave them alone," Alice retorted._

"_I can't." Lily said quietly. _

"_Why not?"_

"_It's a secret. And it's not mine to tell."_

_With that, she'd turned on her heel and marched away, leaving three bewildered teenagers behind her._

_Albus turned to Alice "Have you ever heard any rumours about-" _

"_About any sort of secret that the Elliots have? No. And I've never heard of an older wizard or witch with the name Elliot either."_

_Rose shook her head. "Nor me."_

_Lily escaped to her room. She was sharing it with Rose, leaving Alice in the guest room as the only one with a room of her own. James was sharing with Albus to make room for Hugo and Frank in Al's usual bedroom. But she trusted Rose not to follow her._

_She'd had to leave the group, although she hated to walk away from an argument when it wasn't completely won. But she was worried that either she'd start to cry – an annoying habit from her childhood that she hadn't completely broken, the fact that when she got _really_angry, her eyes would grow wet and tears would start to fall – or she'd tell the others the secret that Serafina had confided to her in their second year. _

_It had been in a moment when her friend had been truly upset. Hogwarts was a place of gossip, the corridors carrying conversations far further than the laws of Physics ought to allow and it was always only a matter of time before you overheard a conversation about someone you knew._

_In this case, they'd heard two fourth-years discussing Gabriel. They'd wondered if he was in love with Wayne, since it was clearly inexplicable why he would be friends with such a disagreeable boy otherwise. Or if Wayne was paying Gabriel, or a whole raft of other accusations._

_Angry and hurt, Serafina had ranted about how they didn't understand. Seeing that her friend was in no fit state to return to the Slytherin Common Room, Lily had taken her and Henry to the Room of Requirement, which Ginny had told her how to find in case she was ever in real need. _

_Serafina had told the whole story then, in a small, cosy room that seemed to invite private confidings and reassurance._

_Lily's hands clenched into fists as she remembered. The Elliots were half-blood, their mother magical, their father Muggle. After the War, their mother had wanted nothing to do with the wizarding world and had fled it in favour of the Muggle world._

_She'd met, fallen in love with, and married a Muggle man within a year. Her parents had disowned her for the act – theirs was a proud pure-blood wizarding family whose surname the others would have recognised immediately, from their studies on the War if nothing else._

_It hadn't been until her first child, Gabriel, was two years old that it had started. Love at first sight wasn't always all it was cracked up to be. Sometimes, first glances are just too quick to see the truth. And sometimes the truth changes._

_Whatever the reason, Gabriel and Serafina's father had started to abuse their mother. Serafina had been born two years later, two months premature. She'd been small then, and was still small now, just one of the things she blamed her father for._

_The children had grown up in that atmosphere. Gabriel had learned his Gryffindor character then – he would always have that urge to protect others, mostly because he could never protect his mother. Serafina believed that to be the reason behind his friendship with Wayne – for all Macmillan's posturing, he was a deeply insecure individual. He needed help as much as any weeping woman._

_Serafina had learned that life wasn't fair, turning her against Hufflepuff. She'd learned that life wasn't logical, preventing her from being a Ravenclaw. She didn't see why she should rescue others when nobody had rescued them for so long. Hardly a Gryffindor. _

_Slytherin….she did crave the power to take revenge. And she had always kept ambitions of things being better, cherishing her small dreams and hopes throughout her childhood. _

_Gabriel's letter from Hogwarts had come. He'd forged one in return, purporting to be from their mother, saying that she was sending him to Beauxbatons. He didn't want to leave Serafina alone with their father and mother. He didn't trust his father not to turn on her, something they'd so far been saved from._

_A year had passed. Then their mother had become pregnant again. And, again, the baby was born premature. Too premature, this time. For all their efforts, the Muggle doctors couldn't save him._

_That had been the last straw for Gabriel, though. The thought of a little brother, lost. He'd gone to the Muggle doctors, told them the truth. In the end, their father hadn't been very clever. A check-up further than routine had clearly told the truth, and with the loss of her son fresh in her mind, Rebekah Rowle told the truth._

_She'd later told the truth about her wizarding background to her son, something about which her husband had forbidden all mention. Upon hearing about the Hogwarts letter, she immediately took action. Drawing on a courage that, as a Slytherin, she'd never thought that she'd had, she went to see Headmistress McGonagall, who immediately agreed to allow Gabriel into the school that September. _

_Like his sister and father, Gabriel was small for his age. Otherwise, he took after his mother, who was blonde and big. Rebekah had been taller than her husband, when she stood up straight. She told Serafina and Gabriel about the Wizarding War – and her brother, who had died in the Battle of Hogwarts._

"_Good riddance," she'd said. _

_When all was said and explained, they agreed to keep 'Elliot' as a surname. When it was that or Rowle – Elliot would mean nothing to Gabriel's new schoolmates, whilst Rowle undoubtedly would. _

Lily had been sworn to secrecy about all of this. Not just the Muggle side, but the wizarding one. Either way, opinions about them might change. Scorpius had managed to be welcomed into the wizarding community. So had Violetta Goyle, Elena Nott and a whole host of others. But it was a risk that they didn't want to take.

"Lily?" Rose asked, snapping her fingers in front of her cousin's face as they sat in the library. "You still with us?"

Her anger had completely drained away, replaced by the sadness and awe she felt for Serafina and Gabriel. It was similar to how she regarded her parents, and all the other adults who'd endured the War. They'd lived through something that was so far beyond her imagination, it was unreal.

"Actually, I'm going to go," she said, packing her books away. "You're right, it's not due in for two more days. It can wait."

And she left to find her best friend.

Bemused at Lily's brief stay, in which she'd swept through several different emotions at a pace which had left them exhausted, Lia and Rose traded identical looks of confusion before returning to their work.

* * *

**Fingerprints, by Katy Perry, donated our chapter title**

**Rebekah Rowle would of course be the sister of Thorfinn Rowle, the 'big blond' Death Eater who was present at the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, and at the Batte of Hogwarts, although his death is not canon.**

**And woah, a long chapter this time!**

**x**


	43. Tonight's Gonna Be A Good Night

**Thanks for reviewing: Doni, Joelle8, SeekDreamsAndFindHope, Marciabarcia, shine lots, Twisted Identity, Likewow5556, dawnghost and ModernDayRapunzel**

**Well, this chapter is also not technically sixth-year, but I'm counting it as a part of it. It developed from the fact that I haven't examined all of the friendships in the group of eight equally, so I thought I'd give time to the four I've neglected most: Rose/Lysander, Lia/Albus, Lorcan/Aisha and Alice/Scorpius (ever since their initial hatred on the boats, anyway)**

**Also, thanks to shine lots for pointing out that this story has just gone over the six-figure word count! I'm in actual shock that I've written that many words. **

* * *

******Chapter 43: Tonight's Gonna Be A Good Night**

**Going Out In London - August 2023**

In any group of eight people, some relationships will be less obvious or less close than others. All will be different, as well – like Albus and Scorpius, Lia and Aisha, Rose and Alice, they could be bonds of best friendship. Or like Rose and Albus or Lorcan and Lysander, they could be family ties. In the case of Albus and Aisha, they could be the links of a couple.

Sometimes they made closer friends from being in the same House, like Lysander and Aisha. Or being in the same lesson, like Lia and Alice in Divination. Or being the odd ones out, like Lia and Scorpius as the leftover best friends whilst Aisha and Albus held hands and chatted.

They were all friends though, and close friends at that. So when Scorpius discovered that he'd have the house in London to himself for the weekend of his seventeenth birthday whilst his parents went away on holiday, his first action was to invite all of his friends over.

Alice, Aisha and Rose arrived first and together. Aisha had been staying and working at the Leaky Cauldron for the last fortnight. Rose had met them there as she was the only one who felt confident enough to Side-Along Apparate with Alice, who hadn't yet passed her test.

Scorpius was stood on the pavement on a respectable looking London street. They greeted him, then glanced around. "So?" Aisha asked. "Which one is yours?"

"You can only get in with me," he explained, "so it's probably best to wait for the others."

Lorcan and Lysander were quite prompt, given that they had passed their Apparition tests early in the summer, and had a lot of practice since then with their parents. They appeared in a carpark only a few hundred yards away from where the others were gathering.

Albus and Lia both took the Tube. Neither could Apparate, so they'd Flooed to Seven Sisters, the Tube station from which they could catch various underground trains to reach the Malfoy house. Albus knew the way, unlike Lia, so they'd agreed to go together.

They walked the last bit, talking about their summers so far. "James has moved out," Albus was saying to her. "He's gone into the Ministry, but he's got a flat in Liverpool that he can Floo from. He says London is too expensive to get a house in just for the sake of it."

"I can't believe your parents let him move out," Lia said enviously.

"Let him? Ha, they were practically shoving him out of the door. They'd have charged him rent if he'd stayed any longer."

"Seriously? I don't think my parents will know what to do with themselves when I go completely. They hate it that I have to disappear off for most of the year. I suppose it's different when you have two more children."

"Well, they can't wait to get rid of us either. They're counting down the days until Lily has left Hogwarts, and then they can sell the house and move to a cosy little one that we won't fit into."

Lia laughed.

"I'm serious!" Albus protested, grinning at her.

"Hurry up!"

They heard the shout from quite some distance away, and looked up. The group of six teenagers stood on the pavement, Alice impatiently beckoning them. Most of the others didn't look too concerned – Lorcan had actually lain down on the concrete and was sunbathing, whilst Lysander and Aisha had decided on the intermediate version of perching on some steps with their legs stretched out. Alice, sun-phobic as ever, stood under a frilly umbrella that was acting as a parasol. Scorpius and Rose had barely noticed their approach, deep in an argument.

Finally, after six years of trying and failing, Scorpius had worked out the trick to beating Rose at chess - distract her with bickering. He'd won the chess match they'd played on the journey home this summer, but both teenagers found out something that they hadn't realised before - arguing with words, on topics as trivial as the new Hogwarts menu and as serious as the current reforms in the Ministry of Magic, was just as fun as battling on the Quidditch pitch. The group of eight had met up three times already this summer, visiting Alice and Aisha at the Leaky Cauldron, and each time nobody had been able to have any conversation with the pair, thrilled as they were at finding people with whom they could argue. Rose had wanted someone to debate with for years, ever since Alice had become too light-hearted for that sort of thing, and Scorpius had never realised how much fun it was to really forget about propriety and put all of the Slytherin wit that he had picked up on at home to a good use.

Lia and Albus reached the others.

"Sorry we're late," Lia said. She looked around. "Are we the last?"

Rose nodded, finally taking notice of them. "Did you have a good summer?" she asked.

Lia nodded. "Our last summer before leaving Hogwarts," she said nostalgically.

Scorpius glanced around, looking suddenly suspicious.

"We're wizards, not spies," Albus told him.

Scorpius rolled his eyes, but didn't make a retort. "27 High Dean Place," he told them in a whisper.

"Just concentrate on that," Rose told Lia, who nodded. Aisha, despite being Muggleborn, knew what a Fidelius Charm was. Slowly, before their very eyes, a tall house seemed to squeeze itself out of the wall between two other properties. As grand-looking as the others around it, it rose to three floors, not including the basement, the stairs into which Scorpius now took them down.

"We're not good enough for the main entrance?" Albus teased.

"Nope," Scorpius replied jokingly, then turned serious. "Actually, the front door doesn't open. It's just a front. Please remember that – if you try get through it, you won't like the consequences."

"What, it's booby-trapped?" Lysander joked.

"Yes."

They blinked in surprise. "You're the first non-Malfoys to know about this place," Scorpius explained. "We've used it as a hiding place for generations, ever since the days when wizards went into hiding. It's changed a bit on the outside to blend in, but it's the same place."

"And your parents let you bring us here?" Alice asked.

He shrugged. "I'm as surprised as you are. But I suppose they felt like they had to invite you all over, since I've been to your houses, and my Mum thought this might be a more sensible way to do it."

He hadn't actually been to all of their houses – Aisha never invited anyone to hers, since her younger brother, who was still in ignorance about Hogwarts, still lived at home and although Lysander and Lorcan did have a house that was technically available, it was visited only about once a year, and was filled to the rafters with various specimen boxes and broken equipment that their parents had sent home. Often, when the family returned to England for a brief time, they would camp in the garden rather than attempt to navigate their way to the bedrooms through the teetering mounds of boxes.

For all that it was a basement, the rooms that Scorpius led them through were bright and airy. There was no dust anywhere, strangely, considering that Scorpius had said that nobody had been there for a year. But Lia suspected that Astoria Malfoy had sent a House-Elf to clean before the guests arrived.

Acting the part of the perfect host, he showed them all to their various bedrooms. They would be staying the night – sort of. They were there, after all, to celebrate Scorpius having turned seventeen, the last of their group to do so, and being able to use his magic outside of school.

And to mark the occasion, they were going to go out as Muggles, to visit Muggle bars and clubs. It was a bit of a strange way to celebrate becoming fully wizard, to pretend to be Muggle, but it had one large upside – Muggle doormen would be tricked by Confundus or Aging Charms, whilst wizarding doormen would have protections against such things and thus wouldn't allow a group of seventeen year olds in – for all that they could use their magic, the drinking age in Wizarding Britain was the same as that for Muggle Britain – eighteen years old.

First, though, they were going to dine in a Muggle restaurant. A new experience for Scorpius, Alice and Albus, but one which they became very keen on.

It was four hours later before they actually left the house. Concealing a wand in robes was simple – concealing a wand in Muggle clothes was considerably more difficult. The girls all took the route of handbags which were charmed larger on the inside, and Lysander and Albus borrowed room in the girls' handbags. Scorpius preferred to keep his wand with him, not feeling particularly safe without it, so cast a Concealment Charm, stuck it in his pockets and hoped for the best. Lorcan simply stuck it in his back pocket. If anyone noticed it, then they would think he had a stick in his pocket. He'd had worse things thought about him.

Of course, it was the girls who took longest to dress. But it was the boys who took longest to leave the house – well, it was Scorpius, who obsessively checked that every ward and charm was back up, and Albus, who forgot his wallet with the Muggle money that Hermione had changed for him, and had to wait for the wards to be put back down again before leaving.

When they at last arrived at the restaurant, Rose was complaining loudly about her hunger, and Al's stomach was growling loud enough to nearly drown her out.

But as they were seated – Scorpius had chosen a buffet restaurant, since he had no idea what food his friends liked to eat. Aisha and Alice could both have told him, given that they paid more attention to the world around them in general, but he preferred not to ask.

"Nobody's watching us," Rose remarked to Albus.

"So we can steal the cutlery!" he exclaimed, before his grin faded into a laugh and he nodded in understanding. "I know. It's really weird."

"I've been to Muggle restaurants before," she admitted, "with my grandparents. But I've never been out to dinner with you and not had people stare."

"It's the only reason I like this house," Scorpius agreed. "I don't like London, as a place. I don't really like cities. But I love how Muggle it is. Nobody stares, nobody crosses the road to avoid you." He looked down at his lap. "It was so confusing the first time we came here. I hadn't realised that people were staring before then, and I couldn't work out what was so different."

"Is London the only Mugg-" Lysander cut off his words as the waiter approached, eight glasses on his tray.

Upon receiving the man's instruction to help themselves to the buffet, Albus, Lorcan, Scorpius and Rose leapt to their feet and rushed off, Albus nearly crashing into the salad bar along the way. The other four followed at a slightly more sedate pace, but not too slow. They were hungry too, and wanted to get some food before Albus ate it all.

There wasn't much talking then, as they returned to the table and set to work on plates towering with food. Alice and Lia's plate were the two exceptions, with only enough food to feed half an army rather than a whole one. Lorcan's plate was heaped with food – all of it from the dessert section. Nobody commented on this – Lorcan's sweet tooth was well known, and he often ate like this from the buffet table at Hogwarts.

The only conversation that passed consisted of:

"Mmm, this is good,"

"Yeah,"

"Have you tried that one yet?"

"Merlin, I wish I had the recipe,"

And surprisingly quickly – "Anyone going to get some more?"

Six of them were up for this, mainly to try out the desserts that they had seen on Lorcan's plate. Lorcan and Aisha remained in their seats. Lorcan had already eaten his fill of the desserts, and Aisha didn't really like sweet food that much. She knew that was strange, but it didn't appeal to her.

Watching Albus and Scorpius jostle past each other to reach the ice cream first, and seeing the look of exasperation and amusement that Lia and Rose gave each other made her smile. Aisha loved her friends so much. She loved her boyfriend. But that was one of the things that worried her. There had been nothing at all, not before he kissed her on the Quidditch pitch, that would have suggested that they would fit well in that way. She'd always looked on him as just one among her friends, and he'd never said if he had seen her the same way. If he did, maybe he'd only kissed her because of the adrenalin raging through him at that moment, and only asked her out because that was what was expected after you kissed someone in front of an audience of almost the entire school.

_'__Surprisingly tactful, for Albus, not telling me if that's true.' _she thought fondly. _'__Normally he's speaking before his brain engages." _Her thoughts turned darker though, as one of the worries that was always there returned to plague her. '_Surely there's supposed to be something there first, before the relationship actually starts. Not quite love at first sight, but something. And if we're not meant to be together…what happens when we break up. Half the wizarding world are his family, and the other half are his friends! I don't think I could live without these friends, but I couldn't ask them to choose sides.' _

"You're wrong about Albus. And we would still be friends, you know."

Aisha gave a jump of surprise and looked at Lorcan. "I know," she agreed. "But knowing something intellectually is one thing, and knowing it emotionally is another."

Lorcan looked mystified at this.

"Or maybe it isn't, not for you," she added, wondering if it was like that for all Gryffindors, if, like for Lorcan, heart and mind were so intertwined that it was impossible for them to disagree. _That would be nice_, she thought wistfully. _Simple._

But it might lead to a lot more pain, in the end.

"You don't like it when I do that," Lorcan replied.

As always, she sorted through the previous conversation topics to decipher what he was referring to, and came to an answer. It was obvious, really. There was only one thing that Lorcan did that made her uncomfortable. When he made a comment on what she was feeling deep inside, her private worries that she didn't want people to know.

"I'm used to hiding my feelings. Adapting my personality to suit my company. It's part of who I am, and even it sounds horrible, I enjoy it. It's a challenge, and I like to be liked, and I like to _fit _everywhere. And I can, if I do that."

"You don't have to make everyone accept you and like you just so that you feel like you belong here."

"I don't expect everyone to like me! I just want to get a measure of them, and the easiest way to do that is act like them, sometimes." Aisha frowned and looked down at her hands. "But I don't want you to think that I don't like you, just because you say things that I thought I was hiding, things that are uncomfortable to hear. Even though you don't fit into any of my categories, any of the boxes that I fit people in, I do like you, as one of my closest friends. And I'm not just saying that so that you like me too."

"I know."

Aisha blinked, caught off guard by the placid response, and then let out a little huff of laughter as the others returned to their seats. Only Lorcan would reply to an outpouring of genuine emotion, more than she'd articulated in months, from a Slytherin no less, with two words and a complete lack of surprise.

"Something funny?" Rose asked.

"Nothing at all," she replied, still smiling gently. Across the table, Lorcan looked up and met her eye. He grinned back at her, and behind her chair, Aisha heard the waitress stumble.

"Wow, he's fit. Weird, but fit," the waitress muttered to herself before hurrying on.

Only Aisha had heard her, but she had to admit that the waitress was right. Lorcan was very handsome, with a dazzling smile. But only when he used that smile. Most of the time, with his gaze looking just past you, as though there was something on your shoulder, and his expression dazed and distracted, he just looked unnatural.

In her amusement, she forgot what the first thing Lorcan had said was. 'You're wrong about Albus.' That too, had been referring to her thoughts. And maybe, as Al's most insightful room-mate, he would know.

Wrwrww

The teenagers stepped inside the nightclub and their mouths dropped open. Thankfully, it was too dark for anyone to notice their odd reaction, although people did start to elbow past them as they all stopped walking, frozen to the spot.

"There are so many people," Albus muttered, bewildered. He'd barely ever been into Muggle Britain. The most people he'd ever seen packed together was Hogwarts, because even Diagon Alley wasn't that crowded. Wizarding Britain just wasn't that big.

"They're wearing so little," Rose stammered. Alice was the most daring, clothes-wise amongst their group by far, but even she was covering ten times more skin than half the girls in there. For witches and wizards, covered half the time in robes that were never shorter than mind-forearm nor had hemlines above the knee, it was a shock. And the clothes were so tight!

"It's so bright," Alice complained, squinting. For a girl raised with magical candles rather than any sort of electricity, the strobe lights were a shock beyond anything she'd seen before.

"It's so dark," Scorpius said simultaneously. Though he'd known real darkness, the darkness of a house in the middle of nowhere, far from streetlights and with only the stars to shine your way, he'd never known it to be this dark inside a building. Had it been this dark, so dark that the people beside you might be strangers when the flashing strobe wasn't on their face, then all the people he had ever known would have cast Lumos.

"It's so loud," Lia whispered, the volume of her speech falling in inverse proportion to the volume of the music. She had sharp ears, a possible by-product of always being the one to listen rather than speak. But this was a world away from the soft mutter of a conversation round the fire in the Hufflepuff Common Room.

Aisha, Lorcan and Lysander remained silent, although Lorcan privately wondered at the resemblance to a dance they'd once seen, far out in South America. The screaming of the clubbers became the chanting of a crowd and the pounding of the base of the music was the beating of the drum.

The others, of course, might as well have stayed silent for all that their friends could hear them. With hand gestures and forceful dragging, Aisha seized the initiative and pulled them all to a booth a little way away from the dancefloor, where they could just about hear each other if they screamed in their ears.

"Muffliato," Rose cast, and the music faded slightly.

"Well," Albus said, just to say something.

"Shall we get drinks?" Alice asked, and she was grinning now, the enthusiasm of the Muggles in the club clearly infectious.

Scorpius, Lysander and Albus nodded in agreement, and even Rose looked slightly interested.

"I'll go," Aisha said, knowing full well that the others had no idea what drinks Muggles ordered, and not wanting one of them to go up and try buy a shot of Firewhisky, or Butterbeers. Particularly if real beer was then substituted for the Butterbeer, because then they'd get an unpleasant shock.

Two drinks later, and they had relaxed a bit. At least, relaxed enough to separate slightly. Lysander and Alice had hit the dance floor immediately, Lorcan wandering along behind. Albus and Aisha had followed, dragging Scorpius and Lia with them. Lia wasn't too reluctant. Once a dancer, always a dancer and even if this was a world away from the jazz and ballet she used to do, the rhythm was still calling to her, telling her body to move.

Not wanting to be left alone, Rose followed Scorpius.

* * *

**One Shot, Two Glasses of Something Gold and Three Trips to The Bar Later.**

"Fancy seeing you here," Alice grinned, looking up at Scorpius as she leaned casually on the bar.

"Such a surprise," he agreed. He, too, was leaning on the bar, but whether it was an affectation or due to over-consumption of alcohol was hard to tell.

Albus and Aisha had gone to a dark corner somewhere, the small amount of alcohol both had drunk not being enough to let them pretend that they didn't recognise the songs being played and didn't like dancing.

Lia was dancing with Rose, both of them looking more than slightly awkward and fearful of the surrounding Muggles.

Lorcan was dancing alone, heedless of both the odd looks and the flirtatious looks being thrown his way. Lysander, on the other hand, had found a Muggle girl from somewhere and was both dancing and flirting at the same time. It didn't look much like she minded, either.

"Are you jealous?" Scorpius asked Alice, noticing where her gaze was.

"Of Lysander? You're not too drunk to realise that that's a girl he's dancing with, are you? And surely I've made my inclinations in _that _direction clear."

"Of the girl, silly," Scorpius sighed, and Alice narrowed her eyes at him. He sounded a little bit too drunk for her liking, but he was looking at her with honest curiosity, and she shrugged.

"Not really. Lysander and I are only friends."

"But you're always flirting."

"Obviously. That's what happens when you put the two biggest flirts in the school together. They flirt. And it gives the rumour mill something to grind. Although, honestly, it would be more suspicious if we _didn't _flirt. When you flirt with everything that breathes, it's the person you're not flirting with who is someone you care about."

Scorpius nodded sagely and their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a barman. "What can I get you?" he called at them.

Scorpius and Alice both glanced at each other. "You're the pub-owner's daughter," he told her.

"I've just been pointing at random bottles on the wall all night," she replied. "I haven't got a clue about Muggle drinks."

"Two glasses of Rum," Scorpius told the barman, and shrugged at Alice. "They must have some sort of rum," he reasoned. "Even if it's probably not Red Currant Rum."

She turned to him. "Such logic," she joked. "Almost a Ravenclaw."

"You know, the people who don't think you're secretly dating Lysander wonder if you're dating me."

"'the people?" she repeated archly. "You mean your ex-girlfriend."

Branwen Kendrick and Scorpius had broken up soon before term had ended. She'd sworn that he was unfaithful to her, though she'd been unable to decide who it was with, either Rose, Aisha, Lia or Alice. Common consensus had chosen Alice, although Scorpius spent the least time with her out of all four, given that Lia was too invisible in Hogwarts gossip to be recognised and Rose too much of a tomboy and a swot to be involved in scandal. And even those who might believe a Slytherin capable of cheating on her boyfriend wouldn't believe that Scorpius would steal his best friend's girlfriend like that.

Gossip was entirely wrong. Scorpius was too honourable to do that – unfortunately, people have an inability to believe that boys and girls can truly just be friends.

The bartender suddenly returned and Scorpius' reasoning must have been right, because two small shot glasses appeared in front of them. Once they had paid, they drank the shots down quickly before returning to the dance-floor.

* * *

**One Hour, Two Blisters and Three Trips to the Bathroom Later**

The music was playing loudly, as the clock moved past midnight and on into the early morning. Alice had lost sight of her friends a while ago, but wasn't worried. They could all look after themselves, and had agreed to meet at one o'clock anyway, at the table where they'd first sat.

Rose hurried back into the club, the music deafening her again after the comparative quiet of the night outside. After a few glances, she spotted Alice on the dance floor, gyrating with some Muggle boy who she could only have met in the last hour. Rolling her eyes with a complete lack of surprise, she hurried towards her, as Lorcan next to her headed towards Lysander, cosied up in a booth with the same Muggle girl he'd danced with earlier…and two of her friends.

"We're leaving, now!" she yelled at Alice over the music, once she reached her. Alice didn't even hesitate, but kissed the boy on the lips once, firmly. "Nice to meet you," she told him, and then headed away with Rose, leaving the boy staring at them in drunken confusion.

"Where's the fire?" Alice asked as they stepped into the outside world, where Lorcan and Lysander were already waiting, having presumably left the girls with equal ease.

Then they rounded the corner and the problem was plain to see. Albus and Aisha were supporting Scorpius as he vomited into the gutter. A car driving past gave the group a nasty look, but the teenagers ignored them.

"I'm shorry," Scorpius slurred, once he had chance to breathe. "Muggle alcohol is reeeeeeally alcohol-hic!" the last words were gasped out in a hiccup as he bent over the gutter once more.

"Homeward bound then," Alice trilled, not seeming at all fazed. "I hope someone else knows the way."

Lorcan and Rose both nodded, the former having an excellent sense of direction and the latter an excellent memory.

They led the way, Albus and Aisha supporting Scorpius along with surprising ease behind them and Alice, Lysander and Lia bringing up the rear.

Along the way, it was easy to tell that few of the others were nearly as drunk as Scorpius. Albus seemed a little worse for wear, and Aisha was giggling a bit much to be completely normal. Lia was quiet – but Lia was always quiet - and Rose was obviously entirely sober. Lorcan, like Lia, was difficult to decipher, given that he always acted unpredictably and Lysander and Alice were possibly their usual selves, flirting with outrageous innuendos that brought a flaming blush to Lia's cheeks even as she couldn't help but laugh.

Scorpius was thankfully still conscious enough to grasp his wand and mutter the words that unlocked the wards to his home once they reached it, but once in his bedroom, he collapsed into unconsciousness, muttering one last apology, as he'd done the whole journey back.

"A very polite drunk," Lysander commented wryly. "Now what?"

"I'm too awake to get to sleep," Rose sighed, and Albus nodded in agreement.

"Well, I have an alternative," Alice grinned, and delved into her bag, eventually – after some rummaging – producing a bottle that was far too large to have fit into the little clutch.

"Pure Gillywater?" Rose gasped. "Where did you get that?"

Alice laughed and tapped her nose. "I have my sources," she told her friend, grinning.

"Sounds good," Albus said eagerly. Following a general consensus, the group settled on the lushly carpeted floor, leaning against beds, walls and chairs.

"So, we need a reason to drink it," Lysander reasoned.

"We do?" Alice asked.

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Aren't you supposed to play drinking games?" Lia asked hesitantly.

"Anyone know any?"

This was met with silence. At last, Aisha spoke. "I don't know any wizarding ones," she said. "But my friends play a Muggle one."

Nobody complained, so she continued. "It's called the I've Never game."

"How do you play?" Rose asked.

Aisha faltered. "I don't know," she admitted. "I've never played it."

"I'm sure we can make it up," Albus said, clearly liking the sound of this game. "So, someone says something they've never done-"

"And we have to say if we have or not?" Lysander agreed

"Do you drink if you have done the thing, or if you haven't?" Lia asked.

Alice smiled. "I think you should drink if you haven't," she said decisively, having already worked out that that would probably leave her more sober at the end of the game. "After all, then the person suggesting the thing has to take a drink, so we make sure that everyone has had at least one drink per round."

General consensus followed, and seven glasses were produced by Rose, her magic not at all affected by the small amount of alcohol she had consumed.

After a brief argument, it was decided that the oldest should speak first, so an uncertain Lia, whose birthday was on September 13th, held up her glass. "I've never played this game?" she said, with a questioning tone in her voice.

With solemn ceremony, all seven drained their glasses before refilling them from the large bottle.

It was a quick leap then to Rose, born late on the 31st December. "I've never failed an assignment," she admitted, drinking down her glass with a shudder.

With a slight smile, Lia, Alice and Aisha joined her, even as the others rolled their eyes.

With a birthday on March 18th, Albus was the third oldest. "I've never worn high-heels," he said jokingly, and drank the Gillywater. Lorcan and Rose followed suit, and after they all realised who hadn't drunk, heads craned to see Lysander, whose held his head high, despite flushed cheeks. "Don't ask," he said stiffly, while Lia stifled a giggle of bewilderment.

"I hope I remember to get the story behind _that _tomorrow," Albus muttered, and the others laughed.

"I've never been on an aeroplane," Aisha said wistfully, and with the exceptions of Rose and the twins, everyone drank.

"Lorcan, it's your turn," Lysander told his twin, older by only a few minutes but born the day before Lysander, on the 5th June. Lorcan quickly picked up his glass. "I've never visited the North Pole," he said wonderingly.

To nobody's surprise, they all drained their glasses at that.

"I've never had sex," Lysander said challengingly. The people who drank then would have answered several questions for people at Hogwarts – because only Alice abstained.

Born on June 31st, Alice was the seventh oldest, but she was still taken by surprise when it came to her turn. "Oh! Erm……I've never been part of a Quidditch team."

Scorpius, the youngest of them all, was long past the point of joining in, so Lia began again. "I've never kissed a boy," she announced, and this time Lorcan, Rose, Lysander and Albus all joined her in drinking.

The game continued, with some revelations for them all. It surprised nobody that Lia had never been slapped, but Alice had, and it was hardly a shock that Rose and Lia had never had a detention, but Albus, Alice, Lysander and Lorcan all had. Lia's 'I've never kissed a girl' statement was drunk to by the four girls and Lorcan, at which point Alice clumsily leaned over and proved the statement false by kissing Lorcan. Nobody would have minded, were it not for her slightly over-inebriated state making her clumsy enough to nearly knock over the bottle of Gillywater.

It startled more than one of them to know that only Lysander could drink to 'I've never cried myself to sleep,' and completely shocked them all to hear that Rose wouldn't drink to 'I've never insulted a Professor to their face,' although she did point out that the Professor in question had never realised or noticed the insult.

The bottle was running low, and it was Lia's turn again. She lifted her glass with a giggle. "I've…I've never been drunk," she whispered, but before she could drain the Gillywater, she had slumped unconscious to the floor, most of it spilling across the floor.

"Guess that one wasn't true," Albus quipped, even as he hurried over to see if she was okay. It was soon clear that she was fine, though the combination of a greater lack of experiences and a smaller frame had caused the alcohol to affect her more.

"I think that's our signal to stop," Rose said guiltily, as she Vanished the glasses, although a corner of one remained, a testament to how far past sober she had become. She picked it up and put it in the bin, and took the bottle containing what remained of the Gillywater to the kitchen, Lysander following.

Albus easily lifted Lia in his arms, and with Aisha and Alice following worriedly, he carried her to her room, carefully laying her out on the bed. Alice sat herself on the bed opposite Lia's, after gently positioning her with her head on one side and refused to leave, arguing that someone had to remain with her in case she began to be sick.

Albus was in no state to argue, the temporary sobriety caused by Lia's collapse quickly vanishing and Aisha guided her boyfriend back to the room with Scorpius, where Lorcan was already sleeping on the floor. Recognising the sensibleness of Alice's behaviour, she also lay out on a bed in the room, after ensuring that all three of the boys were still breathing and had their heads turned sideways. She began to drink from a glass of water that she had conjured, reflecting (only slightly smugly) that those already unconscious would be in no small amount of pain in the morning, although Rose had no doubt been organised enough to bring some Hangover-Relieving Potion.

Rose and Lysander, meanwhile, had come across the mess in the kitchen from where Lysander and Albus, too hungry to wait, had made a sandwich earlier.

Sighing in exasperation but incapable of leaving it until the next morning, or at least later in this morning, Rose began to dump things in the sink, turning the tap on with more force than necessary. Lysander began to return any leftovers to the cupboard, sealing them all for freshness with a tap of his wand.

"Not in that one," Rose criticised, just as he was about to put the ham away next to the bread.

Sighing, he did as she directed. It was quicker.

Sensing her watching him, he began to brush the crumbs off the table, and spoke to distract her. "I'm surprised you approved of tonight," he said.

"Because I'm a complete bore who is a stickler for the rules," Rose said irritably. "Honestly-"

"No," Lysander said patiently. "I don't think that. You're just quite responsible."

"Also known as 'a complete bore who is a stickler for the rules'," Rose muttered under her breath, but Lysander didn't hear. "Well, do you blame me? Breaking rules ends up like this…..feeling exhausted, probably feeling ill tomorrow and definitely feeling guilty over letting Lia get drunk enough to collapse. I don't feel guilt for Scorpius, but we should have noticed in Lia's case."

"We were hardly forcing it down her throat," Lysander argued. "And she wouldn't thank you for wanting to be overprotective. She's perfectly capable of looking after herself."

"I know that, but I also know how disappointed my Mum would be if she knew about tonight."

"We drank responsibly – we were safe in a house, at least."

Rose didn't reply.

"So, I was right. You don't approve." Lysander persisted.

"I feel guilty about doing it," Rose sighed at last. "But I'm so glad that I did," she admitted. "You won't understand, you're already unpredictable. But I'm dependable, predictable Rose. You could guess everything I'll be from one glance. Tomboy and genius. There's a shock. Sometimes…..sometimes I just get the urge to do something that people would never expect from me!"

Lysander rested a hand on her arm in support for a moment. "Trust me, I understand. Everyone expects things of me too – to be the complete opposite of my parents and brother, mainly. But sometimes I am like them, sometimes I think the same strange things that Lorcan says. I just don't have the courage to be different."

They finished the clear-up in silence, a comfortable silence that came from mutual understanding. They were the last to bed, and their eyes closed in the same moment that their heads hit the pillow.

They couldn't all say that it was a night that they'd remember forever……but it had certainly been an experience.

* * *

**Gillywater, I have decided is similar to gin - McGonagall drinks it, and she seems the sort not to drink anything like a cocktail but a good, sensible, G & T.**

**My longest chapter so far, coming in at well over 6500 words. **

**And Alice, with the whole no longer being a virgin thing - I didn't write it, because I didn't feel it really fit with a T rating. And I don't think I'd be able to. I'll give the details here, which are that it was in the summer of her fifth year, and she's only done it with one boy (Samuel Smith, who I did mention briefly and will pop up again later).**

**And a chapter title from I've Got A Feeling, by the Black Eyed Peas. (or the Chickpeas, as my mother used to call them)**

**x**


	44. Got What I Need But I'm Wanting More

**This was meant to be a bit about Lysander, since I've neglected him so much. I sort of went off topic.**

**Sorry for the lack of dialogue. I promise future chapters will be better.**

**Thanks for reviewing: Black-Widow-Girl, anamolly2013, dawnghost, Doni, Likewow5556, ModernDayRapunzel, shine lots, Arlath's Daughter, Joelle8, Marciabarcia, SeekDreamsAndFindHope and last, but so completely and definitely not least, silverbirch! **

**Thank you all so much!**

* * *

**Chapter 44: Got What I Need But I'm Wanting More**

**Lysander thinks; September 2023**

Lysander Scamander loved words, languages, grammar, sentence structure and even rhymes. He loved the different meanings one word could have, and the different patterns in which they could be put together: sonnet, haiku, couplet. He regretted that Hogwarts offered no option to study magical literature, of which there was no shortage in poetry or prose.

Another way in which his love of patterns expressed itself, however, was amongst his friends. He liked the symmetry of having four boys and four girls in their group, even if he didn't like the four-couple assumptions that were constantly made. He liked fitting his friends to the pattern, whether it was Muggle word associations or wizarding ones, like the rhyme:

Rosewood and birch, an unusual pair  
Willow with holly, evil beware.

All the more so because he knew the wandwoods of his friends, and of some of their parents.

He'd amused himself during one particularly lazy summer day last year in fitting his friends to words. First the Muggle saints of Faith, Hope and Charity. To his delight, they fit his male friends perfectly.

Albus was Charity. Not because he gave lots of money away to worthy causes – although Lysander had seen him drop coins in collecting boxes far more than anyone else he knew, but in other ways. In Lysander's opinion, Charity was the same as that Gryffindor trait, chivalry. Albus was charitable to others, helping them with their homework if he could (or if he'd already copied the answers), lending out all of his possessions, letting others speak first or give their opinions, helping someone who had dropped their books pick them up. No, it was no wonder that Aisha, who'd confessed to him that she often felt like she was living in a fairytale, had fallen for Albus. He was the true fairytale Knight, even if he stumbled over his words or his feet too much to be considered a Prince Charming.

Lorcan was clearly Faith. From his unswerving belief in the innate good of others, from the unrealistic creatures in which he believed and from the way that he always expected the best of people. In a way, it was the most uncomfortable thing about being around him, and the best. You felt guilt for how much worse a person you were – and Lysander knew that it wasn't just him. He and Alice had talked on this and agreed about it. Although she and Lorcan were close friends, in fact as close as Alice and Lysander (not that anyone else would have guessed), she often wondered if he was judging her. He could make her ashamed of her lifestyle and attitude in a way that nobody else could.

Scorpius was Hope. He was the hope of many of the adults too – their hope and their emblem of the new order, and how it had completely combined with the children of the old. No 'sins of the father' for them! However, this might be true in theory, but it wasn't in practise. Scorpius somehow managed not to be constantly cynical, despite the opinions he must have come into contact with again and again. Alright, he was a little cynical. But not as much as could be expected of him. Scorpius had even been named Head Boy this year, along with Aisha as Head Girl.

There were other, less positive ways in which Lysander chose words for them. The Seven Deadly Sins, for example. This had almost been harder, and had required him to really take a look at his friends.

He'd always been perceptive – nearly as perceptive as Lorcan. He just didn't show it as much. It made people very uncomfortable. He'd expected Aisha and Albus weeks before the actual kiss, and from Scorpius' recent behaviour, expected another couple to be appearing soon.

Jealousy was not difficult, although it might seem strange that it went to Albus along with Charity. But Lysander had seen the envy in him when others beat him consistently and with less work. As with all of the other faults he had noticed, he wouldn't judge. He hadn't dared include himself, after all, otherwise he might have just had to use them all.

Greed, strangely, went to Aisha. Not greed in the sense of food, but a greed for everything else. For power, for security, for knowledge, for money. Aisha always had a goal, a desire, and she wanted it, no matter what. It went with her scavenger mentality too – saving for a rainy day could almost have been her motto, and although Lysander could understand where she came from, it wasn't the first fault he would have found with himself.

Lust being attributed to Alice wouldn't have surprised many, but Lysander meant it in a whole group of ways. In the end, Lust had originated from the sin of Extravagance, and Alice had both in excess. She loved luxury, beauty, standing out amongst all others. Being supposedly as easy as someone who'd downed an entire bottle of Firewhisky was just a part of it.

Vanity might have been expected to be Alice's vice as well, but Lysander knew a better recipient – Lorcan. This would have outright shocked most, but brothers knew brothers, and Lysander knew full well that some of Lorcan's little outbursts or comments came from the vain desire to be seen as different, and that in Lorcan's mind, he was different, he was better. And Alice wasn't vain, actually. Her personality stemmed from a lack of self-confidence, only expressed in a very different way from Rose's. Rose, in fact, could have been Vanity too – she did have a high opinion of her own attributes, only not the confidence to shout about it like Alice.

Sloth was entirely the opposite of everything which Hufflepuff House represented, which was why awarding it to Lia would have given most a double-take. Admittedly, she wasn't a morning person, but that didn't make her lazy, surely? No, but what was true was while Lia was diligent in completing homework and revising for exams, that was only to fulfil her purpose. She did not work hard for the sake of it, but because she felt that she needed to (no Vanity here), to help herself and others and to give her parents something to be proud of. It was a Hufflepuff trait, this kindness, and she did belong in the black and yellow robes.

Gluttony had been difficult. All of them liked to eat, although Alice was the only one to make an issue of it. But in the end, Scorpius had received the dubious honour. Not just for over-indulgence with food, but for a habit on over-indulging in everything. Scorpius was the type to work hard and play hard. As they'd found last summer, he was also the type to drink hard. If he did something, he wouldn't do it half-way.

Wrath actually didn't go to any of their eight. It could have, but after seeing Lily in a temper, Lysander knew there was only one worthy recipient. She could fly into the most terrifying rages (even more terrifying as she increased in proficiency with the wand) and would be impatient and angry with anyone who spoke to her in that time. Both he and Lorcan had tried to calm her out of it, and they did best. Lorcan simply weathered the storm until its rage had died down, whilst he would flatter her out of it. Aisha had a technique that was only moderately successful – asking for the root of a problem, which could lead to Lily venting her anger with the one who deserved it and then deflating, or just her snapping at you until you gave up.

As the year progressed, Lysander could see that as tempers ran short, all of these sins appeared over and over again. But he also thought that his friends' redeeming qualities-

"Lysandeeer," the girl next to him whined. He blinked himself back into reality, remembering where he was.

The girl next to him...Charlotte, that was her name. She was the fifth year girl who he was currently dating.

"It's starting to rain," she complained.

"Don't worry about that," he replied smugly and lifted his wand, creating a rain shield for the pair of them. After thinking a moment, he extended it to the two boys sat on his left and the girl beyond them. This pulled it slightly tight over Charlotte, who responded by snuggling closer into his arm.

Grinning, because that had been his intention, he put an arm around her shoulders.

Albus, on his left, didn't seem to notice the shield. He was gazing at the Quidditch pitch, staring out at the hovering form of his girlfriend, the Seeker. Lysander hoped that the devoted expression on Al's face would never, ever appear on his own.

Lorcan might have noticed, but didn't show it if he did, not looking up from the pad of paper on which he was sketching. Aisha and Lia had given him a joint present for his seventeenth, a top-quality Muggle sketchpad with graphite pencils, and he was using it at every opportunity. Lia, who was watching the pitch intently, sat next to Lorcan, a green headband in her hair in support of Slytherin.

Lysander wondered briefly whether Lorcan had noticed Lia's secret, which had been obvious to him since Christmas of sixth year, since Hufflepuffs were not subtle by nature and any Slytherin who was as observant as Lysander could notice where Lia's eyes often drifted.

They were the only four sat in the Slytherin stands. Slytherin was playing Ravenclaw this time, so Alice and Scorpius were sat across the pitch in the blue stands. Rose was still on the Quidditch team, although she'd given up her position as Captain, claiming that she no longer had time, and was training up a younger student to take her place as Keeper in March, when Rose had decided to give up Quidditch altogether and focus on revision.

Scorpius being sat over there was another thing that Lysander wondered about - whether Scorpius knew that he had a crush on Rose. He knew that Rose had no idea - about the fact that Scorpius had a crush, and the fact that she herself liked Scorpius in return. She just thought they were good friends...

He felt a brief pang of jealousy for his friends, even for Albus and his devoted gaze. He'd had more girlfriends that the rest of them (excluding Alice) combined, but somehow his friends, without playing the field at all, had settled on people who were perfect for them.

_I don't think there's anyone who's perfect for me, _he thought gloomily. _Girls are all so...._ He didn't have words to describe it, for all his love of literature. The girls he dated were all the same - giggly, flirtatious, sweet, confident, attractive. None of them were his intellectual match, which he knew. But the girls who were his intellectual match, he didn't really like. Even his friends - Rose, who was definitely smart enough for him, was too confrontational and exuberant, whilst Aisha, even if he'd been able to rip her away from Albus, which he doubted, was too serious for him.

Alice was the closest match, people would assume. But Lysander knew Alice well enough to know that she wasn't actually that confident. She was actually very different to the girls he hung out with, the girls who all tried to be Alice. Strangely, when it had been in the hope of protecting Alice that Lysander had made friends with this type of people, it was Lysander who fitted in best. Alice was more popular, simply because she had this undefinable attraction, which made the boys fall over themselves to be with her and the girls wish that they were her.

But Lysander understood the banter better, the insincere flattery and snide comments behind people's back. Despite all of his jealousy of their relationships, though, Lysander was truly thankful for his friends. Not many people had so many friends to whom you could tell anything, or say anything, and trust that they wouldn't turn their back on you.

"Oh, something happened," Charlotte gasped. He looked up - somebody had scored for the Slytherin side and the seats around them were erupting with cheers. "Does that mean we can go back inside now?"

* * *

**Seventh year! Who can believe we've got this far so soon. This is by far my longest story now, word-wise if not chapter wise. Yet.**

**Chapter title from Perfect Girl, by Tinie Tempah**

**x**


	45. It's Too Close For Comfort

**Thank you for reviewing: Likewow5556, dawnghost, ModernDayRapunzel, Twisted Identity, shine lots, silverbirch, Marciabarcia, Arlath's Daughter, Doni, anamolly2013, Joelle8 and SeekDreamsAndFindHope.**

**A comparatively short chapter, relative to the massive things coming up!**

**By the way, I have some sorts of Divination as being true here - I hinted very early on that Alice had some skill at Divination, and this is me taking that further.**

**EDIT: Replaced 'alice' with alive. So close, but so different.**

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**Chapter 45: It's Too Close For Comfort**

**Strange Impulses - February 18th, 2024**

Alice strolled up the stairs to the Ravenclaw dormitory, the very picture of relaxation and unconcern. Boys' imaginations ran like wildfire as they wondered what she might be doing in there.

And the second that she was through the door, the mask fell. She pulled a gleaming pewter cauldron from beneath her bed.

She filled most of it with water, before adding three mugwort leaves, followed by three drops of peppermint. She stirred anticlockwise seven times, before adding essence of mallowsweet and some powdered sage. Finally, she added a single strand of centaur hair. "Calda," she ordered, holding her wand above the cauldron.

_Come on, heat! _She thought desperately. _I need to find out. I need to see how this would turn out, if……_She lost herself momentarily into daydream. _Merlin, Alice! What's wrong with you. I have to have imagined it. Feeling like that, it's not what is supposed to happen._

At last, steam began to rise from the mixture. She sighed in relief. Clearing her mind of everything but the question she wanted answering, she murmured, "_Spectabis_" as she began to inhale the smoke, etching a rune over the surface of the potion. The liquid turned silver and mirror-like.

But it remained blank. "Spectabis!" she cried again, louder this time.

Images appeared on the potion, feelings running up and down her spine. But they were completely conflicting. "How is that possible? Give me a straight answer," she snapped.

The door flew open. Alice put her wand behind her back instantly.

"Alice?" It was Rose. "I need to ask you something."

Closing the door behind her, the redhead locked it.

"There's nobody else in here, right?"

Struggling to free herself of the potion-induced trance, Alice shook her head.

"Good. Look, I was just in the Common Room, talking to Scorpius, and….well. It's been coming on since ages. I mean, I've been watching him in Quidditch. Not the rest of the team, ever. Just him. It's a good thing I've given it up, otherwise I'd be completely distracted and we'd probably lose! But he's funny, and he's smart, and we can talk, for ages, without him being threatened by me being smart. He gets me. We finish each other's sentences, for crying out loud! How can two people be more _meant _for each other. Okay, I know our families have problems, but that makes it sort of romantic. Which isn't something you hear me talk about often, huh?"

She rattled all of this off in one breath. Alice blinked.

"You and Scorpius?" she asked. Speaking caused her to breathe in, and more of the fumes entered her system. Instantly she was assailed with a flood of images. Emotions welled up in her and, as a final cherry on the cake, a bitter scent drifted to her nose. Reminding her unavoidably of onions, tears sprang to her eyes.

Rose had been talking again. Alice had never heard her speak so indecisively before.

"Rose, no. You and Scorpius wouldn't work. Trust me."

Rose froze. She stared at Alice with her mouth open. "Why?" she asked at last, her voice so free of emotion that Alice cringed. The temperamental redhead was only emotionless when she was holding back her worst anger.

_Because I have a bad feeling about it? _Alice contemplated the answer, which was the truth. But she knew her best friend, and knew that no talk about visions, Divination or intuition would convince Rose.

"He'll make you cry," she answered honestly. "It might be good at first, but it won't end well. And it won't last long."

"Why not?" Rose snapped. "I am capable of having a relationship, you realise."

"That's not it! It's your families. Your backgrounds, your experiences. They're too different. Think how people will react. Do you really want to subject him to that, all the whispering, speculating, probably newspaper articles? A rehashing of all of his family's dirty laundry?"

"We'd get through it. It's not like it would be the first time it had happened."

"And your parents? Your dad, your mum. Should they go over for afternoon tea to _his _parents' house? Have a chat with Lucius Malfoy about the time that he tortured your mother?"

"They love me! They'd understand. And, I'm so bloody good! I get perfect grades, I work hard in lessons, I even have friends. I should be allowed this bit of leeway." Rose sighed and collapsed onto her own bed. "You've dated so many people. Haven't you ever had a crush on someone who you couldn't, shouldn't want? Someone who you might be really happy with, and the only obstacle is what people might say."

Alice jerked up. "No!" she lied, snapping in her discomfort. It wasn't Scorpius who she liked in that way...but what Rose was suggesting was too close to what she had been feeling just minutes ago. "I haven't. And you shouldn't either. There are bad reasons to have everyone talking about you too, you know."

"I know that," Rose retorted. "I didn't think _you_ did."

"Well I do," Alice replied, swinging her legs off her bed and Vanishing the substance in her cauldron, all in one motion. Stowing her wand in her pocket, she stormed out of the room.

Rose blinked slightly. "Okay then," she said slowly. "That was weird."

She sat back onto her own bed, frowning. Alice really had over-reacted. There wasn't much gossip about Scorpius and his family anymore – well, there had been a little at the beginning of the year. That had been interesting. She'd got the truth, she assumed, since she'd heard it from two of the four boys actually present.

It had all occurred when they had returned from their Christmas vacation. Whilst Lorcan went to the Forest, to greet the Thestrals he looked after, Albus and Scorpius trudged up the stairs to their dormitory, where Wayne Macmillan and Gabriel Elliot, their dorm-mates, already were.

The two pairs had ignored each other, at first. In seven years of school, it had always been so.

Scorpius had turned to Albus.

"_Can you believe it? That was our last ever Christmas holiday. This is the last time we'll ever come back to this dormitory for a new year."_

_Albus had been about to reply, but Macmillan had muttered something under his breath. The other boys heard him, however. "Not a moment too soon, either. I can't wait to get out of this room."_

"_What's that supposed to mean?" Albus asked instantly, always faster than Scorpius to take offence on his friend's behalf. _

_It would probably have been wiser for Macmillan to stay quiet – Al's hand was near his wand, and both he and Scorpius took NEWT Defence Against the Dark Arts. They would beat Macmillan in moments if it came to a duel, regardless of whether Gabriel Elliot stepped in._

_But Wayne Macmillan had a habit of doing stupid things, and now was no exception. "I'm sick of sharing a room with a Death Eater," he retorted. "At least next year I'll be able to go to sleep knowing that I won't wake up cursed."_

_Scorpius was used to insults about his family, but he had a tolerance level that had been exceeded after seven years, and he drew his wand. "Move on, Macmillan," he snarled. "Get a new insult. I'm seventeen, and you're still blaming me for what my parents and grandparents did?"_

"_Evil like that, it's in the blood," Macmillan snapped, and his wand was drawn too. "Father, grandfather, brother, mother. Doesn't matter. Your family should have never been allowed to reproduce."_

_Things might well have resulted in hexes being thrown, were it not for Gabriel Elliot suddenly speaking up._

"_Grow up, Wayne."_

_Wayne's mouth dropped open in shock; Albus fumbled his wand and nearly dropped it. Scorpius stared in complete bewilderment at Elliot. In seven years, they'd just presumed that Gabriel shared his best friend's views – why else would he remain silent, why else would he remain friends with Wayne?_

_Remus Lupin might have shed some light on the matter, were he alive – though he hadn't always agreed with Sirius and James and their bullying, they were still his friends for who they were the rest of the time. Lily, Al's younger sister, could have shed more light, but never would._

"_You don't inherit evil. Whoever your parents are, it's not your fault."_

"_We don't know that," Wayne muttered, but the fight had been taken out of him. He could be pompous, and annoying, but he was also good to the people he thought worthy of it, and he held his best friend, Gabriel, in the highest regard. "Look at what's happened in the past. There's never been a good Malfoy before."_

"_What about me, then? My uncle was a Death Eater."_

_Now Albus did drop his wand. He didn't bother to bend down and retrieve it, too busy switching stares between Macmillan and Elliot. Wayne was speechless, his mouth forming words but his voice not uttering them._

"_You never said," he finally gasped._

"_It doesn't matter." Gabriel stated. "Do you think it makes a difference to who I am? Do you think I don't deserve to be in this House? To be your friend?"_

"_Of course not!" Wayne protested._

_Gabriel remained silent and then the most shocking thing happened. Macmillan turned to Scorpius. "Look, Malfoy, I'm sorry. I suppose….I judged you unfairly. For the past seven years, I wholeheartedly apologise. I think I've made rather a fool of myself."_

_Such an abrupt about-face left Scorpius unsure of what to say, but he took the hand Macmillan and offered it._

"_It's okay," he said. _

_The dormitory since then had been filled with an uncertain truce. They could never be friends – too much had gone on for that, and it was far too late to make amends with only six months left at Hogwarts, but at least they were no longer enemies. One more person who had hated the Malfoys before Scorpius had been converted, and that could only be a good thing, as the Wizarding World was being dragged, kicking and screaming, out of long-held prejudices._

Rose shook her head. She was almost certain her family wouldn't be as stupid as Macmillan. And Scorpius….if he would only see her as more than a friend, more than just a tomboy!

* * *

**Later That Week**

If there had been an observer, watching Hogwarts at night, they might have seen something quite out of the ordinary. A figure, barely visible against the dark stone, was flying on a broom alongside Ravenclaw tower. Until they paused outside the window of one particular room.

If the observer had known something of the inner workings of Hogwarts, they would have known that that room happened to be the seventh year girls' dormitory.

If the observer had had particularly keen eyes, they would have seen a figure appear at the window, Vanish the glass and, after a moment's hesitation, get on the broom. Then the two robed figures flew away, beyond the back of the castle and away from any curious onlookers' eyes.

But though there were many inhabitants of the Forbidden Forest, a few of whom were intelligent enough to have known all this, on this particular night none had their gaze turned towards the castle. So the act was carried out in secret. For now.

* * *

**Who do you think the two figures are? Why was Alice so shaken?**

**Tell me!**

**Chapter title from Rihanna's Disturbia. **

**x**


	46. This Dream Is Finally Coming Through

**Thank you for reviewing: Arlath's Daughter, shine lots, DeMoN of ThE SeA, silverbirch, Twisted Identity, susiipie, Joelle8, SeekDreamsAndFindHope, ModernDayRapunzel, Marciabarcia, TwistedRaver, Doni and anamolly2013.**

**Sorry to anybody who was confused last chapter. I wasn't trying to suggest Alice liked Scorpius, just that she liked someone who she was shocked by. It will become clearer next chapter, when that situation is resolved. It was meant to be slightly confusing, but I think it was more confusing than I meant! **

**Also, an appropriate chapter to say this: after seventh year ends, I've got seven more chapters planned, just to get these characters to their happily ever afters.**

**So that's when this story will end, not at the end of seventh year. **

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**Chapter 46: Like This Dream Is Finally Coming Through**

**April 2024: Offers and Acceptances**

A solitary figure sat beside the fountain in Hogwarts' main courtyard, enjoying the weak April sunshine. She made a striking figure, casually leaning backwards, braced on her arms, her bare legs crossed and blonde curls tumbling down her back.

But she knew that. Alice always knew how she appeared to people.

Lorcan sat next to her, and she smiled. She trailed one finger through the water that wasn't water.

"Watching anyone in particular?" he asked.

She shook her head. This was a favourite seat of hers, and of several students. It was a good place to think, but a humbling one. Some people kept their visits to the Fountain of Memories secret, but she didn't bother. Lia occasionally accompanied her to watch the changing figures, and Alice had stayed with her friend whilst she looked at the many memories of her uncle, Colin, stopping short of viewing his death. Lia didn't think she'd be able to bear it.

Alice sympathised, but didn't agree. She'd watched so many memories. Of her mother and father, yes. Of her grandparents, on either side, none of whom she'd ever spoken to and her great-grandmother too. The memories of her parents weren't just of the battle either, and she'd watched without flinching as students, almost unrecognisable as the grown-ups that she knew today were tortured.

But, as she'd said to Scorpius, all it did was made her feel inferior. Well, not all. It also gave her a connection to the past, one which she treasured. She wondered sometimes if she had a connection to the future, but the past was what she could learn the most from.

From the depths of the fountain, a song drifted up. It was recognisable to both students as this year's Sorting Song.

_Well I thank you very kindly_  
_For taking my advice_  
_Of course you still are different_  
_Each with a virtue and a vice_

_But now you work together_  
_To achieve a common goal_  
_If only I had one_  
_It would cheer my soul_

_Godric would be proud_  
_Of his noble, daring men_  
_Rowena would adore how_  
_Nothing is beyond Ravenclaw's ken_

_Helga would delight in_  
_Your loyalty and dedication_  
_Salazar would be pleased with_  
_Dreams to help and rule a nation_

_You don't need me to tell you_  
_Simply look around_  
_How much richer Hogwarts life is now_  
_The new joys you have found_

_Friends within a House can be_  
_Too alike indeed_  
_Inter-House relationships_  
_Give the balance that they need_

_Some Slytherins are power-hungry_  
_Some Hufflepuffs simply dull_  
_Some Ravenclaws unwordly and_  
_Gryffindors of themselves o'er-full_

_But when you work together_  
_Then you can obtain_  
_Heights that alone_  
_You would struggle for in vain_

_So come forth, roll up_  
_Where you'll go only I can tell_  
_But no need to fear you'll lose a friend_  
_If they don't go there as well_

Throughout the song, the Hat's tone had been unsurprisingly smug. Lorcan and Alice had been sitting in a companionable silence after the song ended for a few minutes before Lia and Scorpius appeared, both clutching scrolls of parchment, and accompanied by Aisha.

Alice's gaze fell upon the parchment and she leapt to her feet.

"Well?" she demanded, knowing what they had to be.

"I got an offer," Lia blurted, a smile breaking out on her face. Alice clapped and clasped her in a hug, spinning her around and planting a quick kiss on the top of her head.

"And you?" Lorcan asked Scorpius.

"If I get all E's, then I've got a place as an Auror," he said nervously. Alice's mouth dropped open.

"An Auror? You told us that you were applying for the Arithmancy studentship."

Aisha sighed. "He lied, apparently."

Scorpius blushed, but nodded. Alice shook her head, but hugged him all the same. She kissed him on the cheek.

"It's all happening now, isn't it?" she mused. "Our futures are on their way."

"I can't wait," Lia said, beaming.

Alice sighed. "Seriously, I'll miss school. And all of you."

"Aaaah," Aisha joked. "So sweet, so kind." She fluttered her eyelashes. "It touches me to the heart."

They all laughed. "Don't mock my emotion," Alice protested, not at all serious. She liked that Aisha could cut through all of her acts.

"Coming to dinner?" Lorcan asked.

They nodded with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Lia would have been content to stare at her acceptance letter all day, but Scorpius couldn't wait to find Albus and see if he had had the same news.

* * *

In another part of Hogwarts, Rose turned a corner, only to be confronted by Lysander and Albus.

"Hi," she said brightly.

"Lysander got a place at Durham!"

Her mouth fell open with shock, and three emotions warred within her. Jealousy, surprise and delight. Delight came to the forefront.

"That's amazing," she exclaimed, hugging him as tightly as he could bear. "When did you get the letter?"

"It only just arrived by owl, right in through the Common Room window. The grades I need are two Os and two Es."

She nodded, and they carried on along the corridor, discussing the letter in greater detail. Had he told his parents yet, did he know what he was going to say – the answer to all of this was no. Albus had been with him when the owl arrived; they hadn't even found Lorcan yet to tell him.

Later, alone and without the joy for a present friend at the forefront of her mind, Rose let herself feel the envy and worry that had wormed its way into her mind at the news. '_I'm smarter than Lysander,' _she thought desperately. '_Aren't I? Why haven't I had a reply yet?' _She hated herself for thinking it, and at the same time told herself that she wasn't as clever as she thought she was.

All the while, terror at previously unanticipated scenarios such as no offers of places at any of her three universities, or the magical research company to whom she'd sent a letter lurked in the back of her mind.

A week later, when all of the others had their careers sorted, it was less lurking and more screaming.

Alice had gone to an interview with the crabby old man in Unuju Alley with whom she'd requested a Potions apprenticeship. Somehow they'd got along, and she'd been offered a job unconditionally – he'd even offered to let her start straightaway, but she'd had to turn that down, wanting to have other qualifications just in case.

Albus had had a letter from the Auror department only a few hours after Scorpius, with the same offer. The pair had rejoiced, especially when Aisha, who would join them for most of their first year of training for her job in Magical Law Enforcement, although she had a lot more theory – Aurors blasted first and asked questions after, whilst the MLE had rather a lot more paperwork to fill out.

Lorcan didn't need a letter, being assured of a place with his parents. However, that didn't stop him congratulating his friends on their successes, and most of the seventh year was in an equally celebratory mood.

Mornings were becoming more and more fraught, as Rose tried not to glance up to see the owls arrive, and failed. As each day passed with no letter for her, a sense of resignation began to grow.

A false alarm occurred on the fourth day after Lysander's acceptance letter – her parents sent her a letter. Normally she would pore over it, treasuring it. Now, she was just exasperated with them for writing it.

Just as she was wondering if she should go and see a Professor, a tawny owl, dripping wet and with a slightly bent wing flew into her Charms class. Victoire looked at her, and sighed.

"Rose, you shouldn't be receiving post in the middle of a lesson," she criticised. "Ten points from Ravenclaw."

Rose didn't protest, and she didn't open the letter in front of everyone. Putting it in her bag, she noticed the Cambridge University seal and froze. She couldn't ask Victoire if she could open it…then everyone would watch.

Holding it under the desk, she gently slid a finger under the wax seal and slowly uncurled the parchment scroll, being careful not to make a sound.

She scanned the first few lines anxiously, and then let out a noise that was half-way between a sob and a laugh.

Victoire must have heard her, but she didn't look over for several minutes. It was only when she had assigned them a charm to practice that she finally walked over and bent over Rose, on the pretext of examining her work.

"Congratulations," she murmured.

Rose, beaming in delight, thanked her. For the rest of that day, she'd be walking around and then she'd suddenly remember the contents of the letter – an offer of a place, if she achieved four Outstanding NEWTS. When she remembered, she would break out in a huge smile, causing several people to do a double-take before giving her a wide berth in the corridor.

* * *

**A chapter title from High School Musical - Just Getting Started**

**You can thank the fact that I wrote another Sorting Song on the forty minutes of complete and utter boredom I had while sat in an exam - there's only so many times you can read through your answers. And spending the time going 'what rhymes with dedication - Haitian, pankration...' in your head is much better!**

**A chapter dedicated to all those who have to sit waiting for letters from employers or universities, hoping for an acceptance. And yes, Rose is going to Cambridge University.**

**Lysander is going to Durham University. Lia is becoming a Healer. Albus and Scorpius are becoming Aurors. Aisha is joining Magical Law Enforcement. Lorcan is going to go work with his parents. Alice is going to do a Potions Apprenticeship.**

**x**


	47. I Can't Get To Sleep

**Thank you for reviewing: SeekDreamsAndFindHope, shine lots, Marciabarcia, silverbirch, TwistedRaver, Joelle8, Doni, Arlath's Star, dawnghost, ModernDayRapunzel, susiipie, anamolly2013, Twisted Identity and Likewow5556**

**No author's notes here, because there's a massive long one at the end. This chapter is when that confusing one from February is explained, by the way.**

* * *

**Chapter 47: I Can't Get To Sleep, I Worry About The Implications**

**Midnight in the Inter-House Common Room - May 2024**

Night-time at Hogwarts was a mysterious place. It was never truly still – prefects and teachers patrolled, ghosts glided and students secretly adventured.

This night, the night of Monday May 5th, was no exception. And a few people who really should have been old enough to know better were not in their beds.

Slipping down from the Ravenclaw 7th year dorm into the Inter-House Common Room, Alice wasn't prepared to bump into someone right by the door.

"Lia?" she whispered.

"Alice?" the figure returned.

"Scorpius?" she gasped, surprised.

"Alice?" Another voice came from across the room.

"Lia?"

"Scorpius?"

"Oh, this is ridiculous!" That was Alice, as the other two could tell. "Lumos!"

The lights in the Common Room flared on, revealing the three of them. Alice was still standing by the Ravenclaw door, Scorpius a few paces away. Lia was about half-way across the room, having been on her way from the door to the Hufflepuff Common Room when she'd heard the commotion.

"What are you doing here?" Scorpius asked.

"Asking you what you're doing here," Alice replied.

The door behind her opened again, and she stumbled forward as it hit her in the back.

"Scorpius?" a female voice asked. "Why did you turn the lights on?"

"Rose?" Alice gasped. "You're meeting Scorpius here." Her gaze flickered between the two. "Are you two dating?" she asked breathlessly. She hadn't heard gossip this good in ages, mainly because she was usually the one who created the gossip, not the one who passed it on.

"For about two months," Scorpius confirmed, and Rose moved to his side.

"I know what you said," Rose told her friend, "but you're wrong. I don't care about what's appropriate, or expected. I care about what I'm happy with."

"Of course you do," Alice laughed. "I was talking nonsense, I know that!" She went forward to hug them both, one after the other.

"So how did you get together?" she asked.

Scorpius began to reply, but Rose cut him off. "Oh, no you don't." She fixed her gaze on Alice. "I know you, and you never ask questions. And if you're acting abnormal, it means one thing – you're hiding something."

Alice rolled her eyes. "I'm an accomplished liar, yet I can't fool an eighteen year old girl." She shrugged. "At least it's an eighteen year old genius," she reflected.

"No changing the subject. What are you two doing here?"

Alice looked down, an embarrassed look on her face. "Lia's been tutoring me," she confessed. "An extracurricular project for Charms. I didn't want anyone to know, so we do it late at night."

Lia walked closer, entering the conversation properly. "It's alright though; I think you've got the grasp of it now. Anyway, there's no reason to have an extra-curricular project if you won't admit it to anyone. If you're ashamed of being tutored by someone like me."

"That's ridiculous," Rose laughed. "Alice wouldn't be ashamed of being tutored-"

She was interrupted by Alice herself. "We can't end it!" the blonde yelped. "I can't get through my….Charms lessons without you. I'm not ashamed, I just thought we should keep it quiet."

"Why? So that you can carry on being tutored by half of the boys in the school?" Lia asked, her tone uncharacteristically hard.

Rose stared at them. She'd never seen Alice so worried, or Lia so firm. She knew that the Hufflepuff girl had steeliness in her that most people never realised – you only had to watch her play Quidditch to realise that – but something unusual had gotten into her to make her act like this.

"They're a front!" Alice protested. "They don't mean anything. You're the first girl who's tutored me, and the only one. And there's no other girl I'd want."

"Am I missing something, or is this how extreme all Ravenclaws get about extra lessons?" Scorpius asked. Rose hit him lightly, but added,

"What's going on with you two? Scorpius is right – this isn't a conversation about tutoring."

"I'd tell the world about this if you want me to," Alice told Lia. "I'd shout it in the Great Hall at breakfast. I'm just scared – you know me, courage was left out of my genetic make-up."

"I don't want you to tell everyone if you don't want to," Lia sighed. "I want you to want everyone to know. I want you to be proud of dating someone like me."

"I am proud!" Alice protested, but her protests were drowned out by Scorpius and Rose's twin gasps.

"Oh…" Lia suddenly realised, as she rewound to what she had said.

Scorpius had his mouth hanging open in shock, but Rose asked the question for him. "You two? Dating dating? Like how Scorpius and I are dating?"

"Yes," Alice said firmly, crossing the room to put her arm around Lia's shoulder. "Dating dating."

"How…how long?" Scorpius asked.

"Since February 20th, 9:04pm," Alice answered, and smiled at Lia. "And it is important, and it is real."

"It must be," Rose retorted. "You've never had a relationship last three months before. Or remembered when it started."

"Well, count yourselves lucky that you're the first ones to know this piece of gossip. Tomorrow morning, everyone in the school will find out."

"Alice, you don't have to do that," Lia insisted.

"Don't back down now," Rose told her. "Don't let Alice steamroller over you."

Alice laughed. "As if I could! Even this sweet little Hufflepuff can be incredibly stubborn. Never mistake a kind person for a pushover. And Lia, I want people to know. I had planned to wait until graduation because…this'll sound hypocritical, because I know I've been aiming for this for the past seven years, but I know what people will think. Everything I do, I do it so that men picture me in their fantasies, but if I'm dating you, they'll picture us both. And I don't want their minds anywhere near you."

"That's selfish," Scorpius told her.

"That's understandable," Rose disagreed, remembering the same jealousy with knowing that girls pictured Scorpius, when he was on his broom playing Quidditch and girls swooned over him.

"That's sweet," Lia replied.

"That's settled then! Their little minds can imagine what they like, because they're not getting anywhere near the two of us. Tell everyone you know to be at breakfast tomorrow. There's going to be a show."

"Shouldn't we tell the others first?" Lia protested.

Alice sighed, her taste for the dramatic wanting everyone to be shocked by the news. But she nodded. "I'll find Lorcan, Lily and Lysander before breakfast. Can you find Aisha and Albus?"

"Wouldn't it make more sense for Lia to tell Albus with Lorcan?" Scorpius pointed out. "They are both Gryffindors, after all."

_Shame, I wanted to see Lorcan's expression, _Alice thought regretfully. "I guess," she agreed. "Aisha and Lia are best friends though. Lia should tell Aisha."

"What about your Dad?" Rose asked.

"What about him?" Alice asked, eyes glinting. "If he wanted to know things about me before the whole school does, he should take some sort of interest in my life every now and again."

Her friends let it drop. Rose had never understood Alice's relationship with her Dad – she and Ron were so close that she couldn't imagine not telling him things first (after all of her friends, of course.) Scorpius was closer to understanding, but he knew that his father tried to be close, and from speaking to his grandfather, he was impressed even by that much.

"How haven't we run into you before?" Rose demanded.

Alice smiled coyly and glanced at Lia, who also smiled. "Lia managed to convince me that kissing a girl wasn't the only new thing I should try, and got me on her broom. And don't even start down the road of double entendres, either of you," she added.

"So she's been flying up to the window?" Scorpius asked, impressed. He knew a few people who had done that – it was the only way for boys to get into the girls' dorm, and it was harder than it sounded. The winds buffeted strongly when you were that high, and going so close to a wall when you couldn't completely control your direction was terrifying.

"It gave me an excuse to hold on tight while she flew us back down to earth," Alice laughed.

The night wore on, as both Rose and Alice satiated their curiosity. At some point they migrated to the comfortable chair lining the room. Questions began with the obvious, how they started going out - Rose had gone to console Scorpius after a Quidditch loss, Alice had been working in the library late at night, and had 'impulsively' grabbed Lia when she came in. And Alice still didn't say that it hadn't been impulse – she'd realised that she was watching Lia in a non-friendly way for days, she'd wanted to kiss her a hundred times before, she'd planned that by pretending spontaneity she could always dismiss it as her playgirl persona.

The subject of Rose and Scorpius going public was raised, but both refused. They wanted to tell their families in person, not have it relayed through any one of a thousand relatives, as it would for either of them at Hogwarts. They did agree to tell the other four in their little group of eight soon, before anyone else found out.

They covered some far more embarrassing topics, at which point Scorpius left to go to bed, and Alice and Lia discovered the unique problem, which was that both wanted to girl-talk about their relationship, but not to each other, or in front of each other. So Alice returned to her own dorm to give Rose and Lia the chance first, but they didn't take long – Lia was saving some of it up for Aisha – and once Rose had returned to the dorm, she and Alice talked until they finally agreed to fall asleep. Alice wanted to look best for her big announcement the next day.

* * *

Lia woke bright and early. She was up, showered and dressing before she remembered about the day. She smiled, her eyes lighting up. "_I can't believe it," _she marvelled silently. She knew how people at Hogwarts regarded her – or rather, how they didn't. It was miraculous really, how invisible someone could be.

Nobody went out of their way to be cruel to her. They just really didn't think of it. When you thought of the smarter people in the year, Lia wasn't one of them. She'd half-hoped that becoming a member of the Quidditch team might make people notice her as one of the sporty people in the year. But they didn't. She was quiet, little Lia. Even half of the professors probably didn't know her name. People would walk behind her on the stairs, freely discussing some of her closest friends. And she'd wonder if she actually was invisible, or whether they were so stupid as to think she wouldn't be listening.

She'd known she was attracted to girls for years. Boys just weren't as interesting. Their conversation and company was fine, but she preferred that of girls. And she preferred to look at girls. She didn't know why, didn't know what made up that elusive secret of attraction, but it was the rare boy who would catch her eye, whilst almost every woman she saw had something in them she found beautiful.

She hadn't had a crush on Alice before their kiss – big ambitions weren't the way a Hufflepuff worked and the most gorgeous and most heterosexual girl in the year was definitely an over-reaching ambition. Dreams were different, though, and though she'd never let herself entertain the thought for long, sometimes Alice would be there, they would be laughing, she would be caught up in the warmth that Alice exuded and she would catch herself wondering what it would be like if they were together like that, ever since their fifth year when Alice had first started tutoring Lia (actual tutoring this time) in Potions.

Lia wasn't a proud girl, but the idea that people would look at her as someone who could hold someone like Alice was a wonderful one. Maybe, just maybe, they'd realise there was more to her than the girl who might as well by a part of the tapestries, she was so much in the background.

She left the Hufflepuff Common Room, noting the early time. She was unfailingly punctual – one of the few things that she and Alice actually had in common. Albus and Lorcan, on the other hand, were not.

Scorpius had apparently woken them, and told them only that they had to talk to Lia. So she waited in the Inter-House Common Room and sat where they had last night, letting herself relax and remember.

They were the first ones out of the Gryffindor door that morning.

"Scorpius said we had to talk to you," Albus said, straight to the point. "Are you alright?"

"Good morning," Lorcan smiled at her.

"Good morning," Lia replied, smiling back. Lorcan was always so easy-going; it was relaxing for a girl who was used to having to be the calming influence.

"Well?" Albus demanded, as impatient as his Ravenclaw cousin.

"I – well, Alice and I, but she's got enough to do this morning – have something to tell you."

"Congratulations," Lorcan said. She blinked at him. He could be so perceptive sometimes, and so dense at others. She knew he didn't do it on purpose - not most of the time, anyway. Sometimes he did, always when it was better that he pretended ignorance.

"On what?" Albus asked.

"We've been dating. For the last three months." Relieved to finally be honest and get it off her chest, Lia sighed.

Lorcan gave an airy smile and drifted over to sit with her, but Albus stayed where he was, frozen. "You and Alice? But…but you're girls!"

Albus, on the other hand, wasn't pretending.

"I know it's a lot to take in," she said peaceably, "but yes. And we like each other."

"I…well…" he ran a hand through his hair. "You're happy?" he asked abruptly.

"Very," she told him.

"And Alice? Does she act like she does with, well, boys?"

"Yes. And no. She lets me in more, she's more herself. But that flirty little tease is her too, along with the brains that she hides from boys." Lia blushed, knowing that Al's mind was now picturing them flirting, and reminded herself that this wouldn't be the last time. She frowned, unsettled by how half of her shivered at the idea and a small part relished it.

"Then I guess I'm happy. Scorpius already knows, doesn't he."

"He ran into us last night."

"Oh, was he out doing some late night Herbology?"

"You could say that," Lia agreed awkwardly, then paused. The glimmer in Al's eyes was how it was when he was joking, but the professor didn't know it or when he was waiting with a punchline. _He knows, _she realised, but decided she wouldn't spoil it for him.

Then he winked at her, and she almost laughed aloud. _He knows that I know_. She felt far more relaxed now than she had before telling them. The fact that Albus could still joke with her like he always had had reassured her.

"Better get going," he told her. "You have places to go, friends to tell – and we better get dressed." She realised that both boys were still in their nightclothes, covered only by a cloak. "Even if you're not sat there leering at our bodies now, I don't want to miss the show at breakfast."

She laughed and stood in one movement. "You don't," she agreed. "Knowing Alice, she'll be as flamboyant about it as possible."

They bid their goodbyes and left, Lia going down to the Slytherin Common Room entrance in the dungeons. This didn't get as much use as it once had, so it was a lot more private than the Inter-House Common Room, which would soon begin to fill with people wanting their breakfast. She sent Aisha a quick message through charmed bracelets that the girls had exchanged, allowing them to send brief notes to each other.

* * *

Alice woke at exactly 7am, without the need for an alarm clock. She was getting up half an hour earlier than normal, wanting to put the extra effort into her preparations that morning. She showered, using her favourite perfume – something she'd only used three times in her whole school life. Once for the Noel Ball she'd been taken to in her fourth year, once for her own Noel Ball and once for her first date with Lia. It was horribly expensive, but it worked. Everyone would look at her today.

She dressed in her best school robes – she'd found them in a second-hand shop, and they were amazing. They looked perfectly regulation, but had been sewn, or charmed, to cling to the wearer's curves in the right places, and disguise the curves where she didn't want them.

For Alice, who cursed her flabby stomach but loved her hourglass figure, it was perfect. She tapped her eyes with the Vision Spell, which to this day only seven living people and one dead woman knew that she used – her seven friends and her great-grandmother, who'd taught her the spell when she'd seen her squinting – after all, Augusta had known about not wanting glasses to get in the way, even if it was fighting rather than flirting in her case.

Murmuring the spell to heat her wand, she slowly began to twist curls through her shoulder-length blonde hair. Alice had always seen getting ready as putting on parts of a costume, unlike Aisha, who had always seen it as putting on parts of an armour. Both of them knew that it lent them the self-confidence they wanted.

The whole ritual took nearly an hour, after which most of her dormmates were up and ready. Rose lay on her bed reading, waiting for Alice to finish. The redhead didn't always bother, but today she wanted to sit with Alice, lend her a friend's support.

Finally she stood up…and up. She was wearing high-heeled boots under her robes – a whole inch higher than her normal two-inch. The two of them descended down the stairs and moved through the Common Room, where the crowd parted to let them through.

Lysander joined them, as Aisha had told him to do, along with several other hangers-on.

As they proceeded down to the Great Hall, Alice got close to Lysander and whispered her need to talk to him in private into his ear. Behaviour like that would have been stared at if most people did it, but from Alice it was expected – as was the fact that Lysander then whirled her into a nearby room, and closed the door.

"That'll start some rumours," she remarked.

"Just how you like it," Lysander replied, his charming smile in place.

"And it's not like they haven't been wondering about us for years."

Everyone had – Lysander was Alice's closest male friend, and would have been considered a fitting boyfriend for the unchallenged Queen of Hogwarts. But they'd done nothing to confirm the rumours – though they'd done plenty to fuel them. Neither of them cared what it did for their reputation, and it had become a running joke between them, which could come up with the most questionable 'friend' activity to get the rumour-mills grinding.

_Not any more though, _Alice reflected. _In an hour's time, people will know once and for all. _

"You had something you wanted to say?"

"I'm a lesbian. Actually, bisexual. Seriously, more hetero than homo – I prefer practically all boys. It's just her."

It was hard to say. It had been so much easier to talk about 'dating Lia', without having to say the word _lesbian_.

"Well, you are a good Ravenclaw. Researched the male side thoroughly before you came to that conclusion."

"Practice makes perfect, and being with Lia is perfect."

"You and Lia? Opposites do attract."

"She's sugar and spice and all things nice, you mean?"

"What would that make you?"

"Well, I'd rather not be slugs, snails or puppy-dogs' tails," she drawled.

He laughed. "Trust me, looking at you – not much there that reminds me of any of that."

"Thanks. Anyway, we just thought you should know first. We're going public at breakfast."

"And you thought you'd tell me first. What about the others?"

"Rose and Scorpius already know. Lia is dealing with everyone else."

"Oh, I bet those conversations are different to this one."

"Well, Albus won't have reacted quite as calmly as you."

"Hardly. But Lorcan will have been warm-hearted and comforting-"

"While you were sarcastic yet comforting." _Which was just what I needed, _she thought. _This conversation was pretty insincere – but we know what we mean, beneath it all._

"At your service," he declared, offering a sweeping bow.

"Shall we continue to the Great Hall then? And let the show commence?"

"Of course." He leapt to the door and held it open for her, only the twitch of a smile at the side of his mouth letting his amusement show.

They reached the Great Hall, and sat with Rose, Lorcan, Scorpius and Albus. Rose had chosen a table as far from the door as possible – on purpose, of course.

"Lia's still breaking the big news to Aisha," Rose told her.

"Good. That gives more time for everyone to get in here."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "You're looking forward to this, aren't you."

"Well, it's not often that a girl has every eye on the room on her. And I'm not being vain. Every eye in the room _will_ be on us."

It was true. Hogwarts was a small, conservative little community, like the entire wizarding world. Same-sex relationships weren't flaunted, or publicly discussed, although they were also not publicly frowned upon. Public displays of affection rarely occurred.

* * *

At that moment, Aisha and Lia were climbing the stairs from the dungeons, discussing it all.

Aisha was more than a little bit shocked that her best friend had kept such a secret from her for so long. She wasn't particularly perceptive, but couldn't believe that there hadn't been any sign at all.

She wasn't angry, though she was determined to speak to Alice as soon as possible. Aisha knew Lia too well to believe her an innocent flower, but she was too trusting. And Alice's record wasn't impressive.

Alice and Aisha shared an odd friendship. They recognised themselves in each other far too much. Superficially, people thought them very different. Alice was assumed to think of little but boys, make-up, clothes and gossip. The ditzy, slutty blonde. Aisha was expected to be philosophical, friendly, interested in schoolwork and in the problems of whoever she was speaking to. An intelligent, friendly girl.

But both were actresses of the finest order. Both were incredibly conscious of the effect each movement, each word could have. Both appreciated the value of the right clothing to help you slip into the character you played. Both had gone to bed at night and massaged their face, rubbing the aching facial muscles that controlled that fake smile. And both could recognise the ruthless streak that they had, that protected themselves and their own and used others to get what they wanted.

And both valued Lia as someone around whom they were themselves. And Aisha, recognising that in Alice, was glad for the both of them.

* * *

Alice had sat with her back to the door on purpose. But when Rose kicked her from across the table, she knew why. She stood, pivoted and began to saunter forward. Aisha pushed Lia forward, and joined her other friends at their table.

Alice reached the centre of the room before Lia, and waited a few seconds for the smaller girl to reach her. "You ready?" she asked, striking a pose with a smirk on her face that would ensure ninety percent of the boys – and forty percent of the girls – were watching her.

"If you are," Lia replied.

"Oh, I can't wait," Alice laughed, before grabbing her girlfriend and crushing Lia's mouth with her own.

The pressure eased up after a second, and her tongue delicately flicked at Lia's lips before they parted to allow her access.

Lia knew that this was the proof of practice making perfect – Alice was a superb kisser. She just hoped she was the same. Her eyes were still open, surprised by the suddenness of the assault, though normally she would have closed them. Alice was the opposite. Her eyes were almost always open when they kissed, checking that nobody was watching, or her ears were pricked, listening for any interruptions. Now, however, Alice's eyes were firmly shut.

Their mouths split apart as they both took a breath, their faces remaining close enough that nobody else could see them. Alice's blue eyes were open now. "How many people are watching us then?" Lia asked her.

"Everyone," Alice murmured. "Shall we give them something to watch?"

This time, Lia closed her eyes.

A wolf-whistle finally broke them apart. Lia could not help scanning the room, noticing that seemingly all of the students were staring, along with most of the Professors – though a few of them were pretending that they weren't.

Alice kept her gaze on Lia's face. "Shall we eat?" she asked lightly, as if they hadn't just provided gossip for the rumour mill for the next fortnight. Hand in hand, they strolled over to the table where all six of their friends were sat and where two extra chairs had already been pulled over.

"Morning," Rose said cheerily. "Did you sleep well?"

* * *

The morning passed uneventfully – unless you counted myriad stares, whispers and comments that they were clearly intended to overhear. All eight of them took Potions, which was that morning, and they made up the vast majority of the class. Professor Corner didn't seem any different – just as crazy as normal.

Lia was lucky with a double study period, Albus and Scorpius also being free and available to talk to her. Alice, on the other hand, took Divination, where she endured Professor Trelawney's not-so-veiled comments that she had known all along.

Then there was lunch, where Lily was unimpressed that they hadn't told her – though mollified when she discovered that nobody had known until the previous night. They'd meant to, of course. But she'd already been at breakfast when Alice had finally made it down to the Slytherin corridors.

And after lunch there was Herbology, shared by Lorcan, Rose, Lia and Alice. They stayed in the partners they had always worked in – Rose and Alice, Lia and Lorcan – though they were all gathered around the same bench. It all went as normal, though the whispers did increase slightly as people wondered whether Alice's father had known.

Then at the very end, as they all finished packing away, something happened.

"Alice?" Professor Longbottom called. "If you could just wait behind for a moment."

Alice flicked her gaze to meet her father's eyes, then put her bag back onto the floor. "Yes, Dad?" she asked innocently.

"You know what I want to talk about, Alice."

"I do, but I'm surprised. I didn't figure you to be the homophobic type." She raised her eyebrows challengingly.

"I'm not!" Neville paused to usher the last of the students, all of them eavesdropping heavily, away from the greenhouse. He shut the door. "I don't have a problem with it if you want to...ah, stir your cauldron in the same direction. I just want to talk about it."

"Firstly, 'stir my cauldron in the same direction'? I know you're old, Dad, but I didn't think you were _that _old. And secondly, if you don't have a problem, why do you need to talk about it?"

"Because you- Because the Great Hall.."

Alice didn't often see her father lost for words – he didn't speak often, but if he did then it was probably worth listening to. "Because I made out with Lia in front of the whole school at breakfast? So? I've been just as public about lots of boys before. And a lot more explicit. That was just a kiss."

Neville's face was red with embarrassment. "I didn't know about any of the boys though."

Alice laughed, scornful and disbelieving. "How is that possible? I know that the Professors all talk about it. They gossip like a bunch of old women…or a bunch of teenage students." A smile curved her lips.

"I don't listen. I'm trying to respect your privacy."

"So you don't listen to a single word of the gossip about me. And you try not to watch what I'm doing at school."

"Exactly."

"Merlin's manhood, why?"

"What?"

"Have you ever thought I might want you to notice?"

"I thought that teenage girls wanted privacy!"

"I do! And I want you to try find out what's going on."

"How can you want both? They're complete opposites."

"That's the point of _being _a teenage girl, Dad. It's in the job description – be as contradictory as possible. Rowena, how did you ever get a girlfriend?"

"I-um,"

"Let me guess, life or death battle, and you and Mum met as you fled from the forces of evil. And she was your first everything." Alice rolled her eyes, a pitying smile playing on her lips even as her eyes softened. "Didn't your generation ever hear the idea of playing the field first?"

Neville looked at her helplessly. He'd come so far from the clueless boy who had received his only House Points for being put in a Body-Bind by his friends. But Alice was so bewildering to him that he felt like he was still looking for Trevor in the Hogwarts Express.

A thought occurred to him and he frowned. "Is that what this morning was about? Getting attention?"

"No!" True emotions of anger and horror appeared on Alice's face for the first time. "It's the first time that it's _not_ about that. I know I'm selfish, but I wouldn't ever do that to Lia."

"I'm sorry," Neville sighed.

"You won't be the only one to think it." _Everyone will. They'll think I just thought of this as something else to catch boys' eyes. _She didn't say that to her father though. If he didn't know about her reputation, she wouldn't be the one to tell him.

"So, you've wanted me to be a really strict, overbearing father for these past seven years?"

"Not _too _strict. Just a little disapproving." She smiled at him.

Neville groaned. "I'm going to have to go through this all over again with Sarah, aren't I?"

"Enjoy!" She smiled, thinking of her youngest sibling, six year old Sarah. Then she picked up her bag and turned to go, before a final thought struck her. "What are you going to say to Mum?"

"You can tell her, if you like."

"It's alright, I'll let you have the pleasure. Just, hide the Howler paper for a while, please?"

* * *

**Chapter title from Overkill...I don't know who it's by. It was in Scrubs.**

**It was difficult to pick the title, I had a definite choice of two - this one, with lines like:**

_**I can't get to sleep  
I think about the implications  
Of diving in too deep  
And possibly the complications**_

Especially at night  
I worry over situations  
I know I'll be alright  
Perhaps it's just imagination

**And Kelly Clarkson's 'Don't Let Me Stop You'**

_**I used to be a little bit shy, I kept my deepest feelings inside  
Speaking up to you about my emotions has always been hard  
But this just can't wait, tonight I feel a little bit brave  
So I won't let one more day pass without me explaining what we are**_

_**This is gonna sound kinda silly  
But I couldn't help but notice  
The last time you kissed me  
You kept both eyes open**_

Baby can you tell me what does that mean?  
If you're looking over your shoulder  
Then you don't need to be with me

A lot of things I can take, gotta high threshold for pain  
But let's get one thing straight, I'm not down to share you with anyone

Oh, and 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl' is what I listened to when I wrote them getting ready to go down to breakfast, and the scene at breakfast.

**And I'm also just delaying saying what I have to. I hope that people have kept reading until this point. Sorry if you liked Lia/Lorcan, but I do have another girl in mind for him.**

**I'm going to make three points.**

**1) I didn't warn you about a slash relationship**

**2) I didn't warn you about a non-slash relationship, so why should I have warned you about a slash one**

**3) Judging from JK's comments about Dumbledore, there is definitely homosexuality intended in the canon books. **

**The slash and non-slash relationships won't get any more graphic than this chapter. A few innuendos, but none worse than we've already heard from Alice. I believe the rating should therefore stay a T - if you can have that sort of stuff about non-slash, why not slash?**

**If anyone has reached this point in my defensive rant without knowing this - slash relationships are same-sex relationships in FF slang.**

**What else...flames are allowed. I've only ever had one in three years of writing. I can handle another, especially if it doesn't criticise my writing but only the idea of gay relationships. Don't call me evil, or Satanist, or anything of that sort, though, please. I'm a devout Muslim - trust me, I struggle a lot with homosexuality and bisexuality. But what people believe about them doesn't mean that they don't exist. So they ought to be included in this.**

**Have I said everything I wanted to?**

**Well, I hope this chapter gets reviews. If you desert my story because of this, would you mind writing a quick review to say that? I'd be interested to know how many people do. **

**And don't say that it's come out of thin air. We've heard nothing of Lia's sexuality either way; Alice has actually been dropping hints for a while, but even so, people can realise in the space of six months that they're gay or bi.**

**The confusing chapter - Alice was with Lia and wanted to kiss her. As she explored her feelings more, she realised that she actually really, really wanted to go further on that route. That shocked her quite a lot. And she was attempting the Divination to see first if Lia would reciprocate and secondly, how people would react.**

**I hope this Author's Note wasn't longer than the chapter... **

**Final note - Alice is worried, of course, that her mother won't be happy about this. She probably won't be over-the-moon. Parents rarely are. I'm not suggesting that Hannah is homophobic. Lia is fine - her parents don't get as much of the Hogwarts gossip, so probably won't find out yet.**

**x**


	48. You've Worked Real Hard

**I dealt with the other four for OWLs, so now it's the turn of this four. **

**And ugh, ugh, ugh. It is literally painful, and horribly appropriate, to be posting this chapter now. I really, really hate exams. That's part of why this chapter is so short. But I promise the next two will be pretty massive. **

**Thanks for reviewing: silverbirch, SeekDreamsAndFindHope, Doni, TwistedRaver, Joelle8, Marciabarcia, Arlath's Star, SKLBug210, Twisted Identity, dawnghost, ModernDayRapunzel, Black-Widow-Girl, Likewow5556, shine lots, anamolly2013 and susiipie.**

**And you were all fantastic about the surprise relationship I sprung on you! Thank you!**

* * *

**Chapter 48: You've Worked Real Hard**

**NEWT Exams - May 2024**

A month. Three weeks. Two weeks. Seven days. 24 hours. The time had passed by so quickly, an inexorable countdown that Lia was powerless to prevent. The nerves had built up in her as quickly, despite Alice's attempts to relax her.

She hated exams. Written exams, practical exams – it made no difference. Her mind seemed to wipe itself clean when she read the question on the paper, no matter how often she'd read it beforehand. In practical exams, she could feel the nerves taking hold from the beady-eyed gaze of the examiner, and her hands would shake, destroying the roots she was supposed to carefully dice or the precise wand movements she was supposed to carry out.

Practice makes perfect, Alice had insisted, and had petitioned Professor Corner for time in the Potions lab – which he'd granted, the only Professor who truly trusted Alice thanks both to her father and her proficiency in Potions. They'd also made use of a room that Lia's father had told her about, which appeared as you walked along the seventh floor to those in need.

They practiced all manner of Charms and Transfiguration there, repeating the movements until Lia's muscles knew what to do, independently of her brain – similar to the instinctive way in which she could fly. To Lia's shock, they'd even taken advantage of that, Alice forcing herself onto a broomstick despite her fears in order to cast charms as they flew, not allowing Lia to concentrate on what she was doing.

They had adopted a different tactic for written information. Alice seemed determined that each fact would have a pleasant memory associated with it which Lia could recall once she sat in the exam. It proved slightly disturbing, to break off from a kiss to a question about the growth requirements of the Mandrake, but it worked.

At least, they hoped it would. Lia needed top grades to be a Healer, and they'd used all of their connections to get them there. Lysander had helped, sneaking them into the Slytherin Common Room in order to better practice Human Transfiguration – if a suspicious Slytherin didn't recognize them, nobody would.

Admittedly, Lia had a few doubts over the ethics of all of their actions, but she had to trust her friends, which proved hard when Alice was breathing into a boy's ear in order to be granted permission to use the Quidditch pitch. But it was for the greater good, wasn't it?

* * *

Rose stared at herself in the mirror in her dorm. It was a rare opportunity, for the space not to be occupied by Alice, but the blonde girl was off somewhere – it wasn't hard to guess where. She'd spent the last few weeks closeted with Lia, delighting in the fact that she could both revise for her NEWTs and spend time with her girlfriend.

Rose was less happy. She looked at her reflection once more – a skinny, frowning girl looked back at her. Her arms were freckled, her hair still a bright red, her cheeks still flushed – there was no outward sign of the absolute exhaustion she felt.

_Surely you should be able to see it, _she thought wearily. She couldn't help but feel that there ought to be a visible clue to the stress she felt. Limp hair, tired eyes, pale-faced – something!

Only one exam into the NEWTs, and the strain was telling. She had never been more tired, mentally speaking. She stayed up late revising and even once she lay in bed, her brain refused to shut off, running through lists of charms and potion ingredients until the early hours of the morning.

When she woke, there was barely any deviation in her routine, unless it was an exam day. If not, she would head for the library after breakfast, where she would sit and study until lunch. Scorpius and the others would sometimes join her, but she was too tense to properly make conversation.

In actual fact, she did revise better as part of a team, but she didn't dare. Not for the NEWTs. She and Scorpius couldn't do what Lia and Alice did – they'd tried, but they simply got no work done. She didn't understand how the girls did it, but they must be working too. These exams were too important to Lia at least, and Alice, no matter how heartless she sometimes appeared, wouldn't have hurt Lia's chances by forcing her to choose.

Lily occasionally joined Scorpius, Rose, the twins and Albus in the library. Aisha was usually found with them too, although she had to devote some time to Head Girl duties.

Rose had never been more relieved that she'd given up Quidditch, although she had to confess to a few pangs of longing, and it was true that she'd had her best revision session yet after an hour long flight break with Aisha, Albus and Scorpius.

What was thankfully easy, for Rose, was putting previous exams behind her. She'd rarely even discuss them as they came out of the exam room, having learned from long practice that it made nobody feel better. Others worried if they'd put different answers to her; she worried if they had found it easier, or harder than she had.

Aisha had tried to reassure her on this count, telling her that if they had found it easier, they probably hadn't understood the question, and if they had found it harder, they probably hadn't revised as much.

This helped. A bit.

* * *

Aisha swept down the corridor, one arm clutching a folder of notes, the other multi-tasking by both carrying her bag and practicing the movement for the Severing Charm – without the words, obviously, lest she actually cast the spell.

Had she been looking in a mirror, she would have expected the exact opposite to Rose. She would have searched for what she would see – eyes which sparkled, lips curved in a smile, hair which shone and a complexion which was flushed with health. This was happiness, for her. She thrived on it.

There wasn't anything better than the adrenaline rush she got from juggling six different activities at once. The exhilaration was incomparable. Of course, she hated the interminable wait before the exams, where there was nothing to do but read notes which she already knew, again and again. But now, when she had different exams coming at her right, left and centre, along with Head Girl duties and a busy social life, she loved it.

Of course, the trick was to keep one step ahead. Not to take on so much that she would drown beneath the weight of it all – that was why she'd turned down the position of Quidditch Captain, though she remained on the team. But the juggling of everything else was something that she thrilled in, even as she flitted in and out of six different revision groups and congratulated or commiserated with people who had just taken an exam.

She firmly believed that the adrenaline helped her, although too much was bad. The trick was to almost forget that they were real exams, which would affect the rest of her life, at least until she walked into that room and picked up her wand, or quill.

* * *

Lysander sighed as he sat in the exam hall – the Great Hall, specially adapted for the purpose. He glanced at the clock. Its hands did not seem to have moved since he last glared at it. Not that he was surprised – reading over his answers hadn't really taken that long. This was why he hated written exams. The boredom of the last half-hour, followed by the sudden terror as they announced 'five minutes remaining', and he began to remember facts he would have preferred to include.

He hated the format, too. It never seemed right, to him. He wanted to redraft and redraft his answer, until it was properly polished. This work didn't deserve his name, haphazard as it was. Unfortunately, he didn't have the patience to plan his answer, and it never worked even when he tried.

There were too many thoughts he wanted to add afterwards, paragraphs that he would prefer to swap around. It was all so….messy.

He couldn't even face re-reading his paper for the third time. He'd only think of more that he wanted to include, and the margins were already full of extra words and arrows linking hastily added paragraphs to their proper place. He'd heard all the lectures about making it easy for the person who would mark your paper, putting it in a neat layout, with neat handwriting.

Very different from his ink-stained scrawl. Not that he could help it. Whoever had designed the quill clearly hated left-handers, and they weren't allowed to use the Muggle pens which Aisha had provided him with for the last seven Christmases.

He glanced at the clock again. The time had crawled forward, marginally. "_Only twenty more minutes before my NEWTs are over forever" _he thought, trying to cheer himself up. Not that it really worked.

Letting out a groan so low that nobody else even heard it, he flipped back to the front page of his exam booklet. Checking and re-checking the guidelines on the front would use up some time, as would checking and re-checking that he'd put his name on. Then he would add up the marks available for each question, to check that it added up to the possible total on the front. Anything to make this time drag a little less.

* * *

**Chapter title - Yolanda Adams, I Believe. **

**Which one of those is most like you during exam season? **

**x**


	49. Trying To Apologise

**Thank you for reviewing: shine lots, susiipie, silverbirch, Likewow5556, Twisted Identity, TwistedRaver, Doni, Arlath's Star, Joelle8, Marciabarcia, dawnghost, anamolly2013 and ModernDayRapunzel.

* * *

**

Chapter 49: Standing Outside My House, Trying To Apologise

**Alice and Lia have difficulties: June 2024**

Alice slid slowly down the wall outside the Hufflepuff Common Room, wondering how it had come to this. Four months of relationship bliss, one of them being out in the open. Then she sighed, bitterness in the exhalation. She knew how. She'd been the reason.

A group of female Hufflepuffs stepped over her outstretched legs, casting her an angry look. _'So they've heard' _she thought wearily. She didn't bother to ask if they would let her into their Common Room. Loyalty was one of the flagship Hufflepuff traits, after all, and they would be loyal to their hurt House member to the end.

"I knew Creevey was making a mistake," the voice of one of the girls who had passed her carried back along the corridor. "People like Longbottom just don't know what being in a couple means."

'_I do know!' _she wanted to cry. '_I do care!' _But none of them would believe her. It was strange, in a way. It was Slytherins and Ravenclaws who considered actions more important than words. They knew best of all how rhetoric and clever phrases could be used to deceive. But Hufflepuffs, who prized honesty, ought to be expected to believe people.

Then again, maybe they'd developed some defence against such things, necessary to live in a world full of trickery and guile.

'_Stop defending yourself.' _she thought angrily. '_You didn't have to do what you did! There's no reason why Lia should forgive you. And your words were no better than your actions…not when it counted.'_

What she did. She laid her head back against the cold stone of the wall, remembering.

* * *

**Three Hours Earlier.**

Their exams were over. Finally, entirely, over. The last exams some of them would ever have to take. Now, there were no lessons. No revision. Only the preparations for the Ball which marked their leaving, and then, in late August, their results.

She'd been walking along a corridor, alone for once in her life. The last few months had been...interesting. Some boys had started to follow her more, intrigued by her revelation about her and Lia. Some had avoided her like the plague, feeling like they'd been taken for fools.

She was just crossing the Entrance Hall when a gust of wind slammed the huge doors behind. They were in the middle of a sudden summer storm, dampening down the spirits of those who'd hoped to fly today.

She turned to see who'd opened the door, and laughed aloud.

"Sam! " she squealed, her hand flying up to cover her mouth in shock.

Samuel Smith, a Gryffindor boy who had been two years above her, grinned. As always, his smile made her feel warm from the very inside. His face was as tanned as ever, his hair as golden. She smiled back.

"Look what the cat dragged in," she smirked, recovering from her initial shock.

"Is that the only greeting I get?" he asked teasingly. She sauntered over.

"Were you expecting more?"

"Well..."

Grabbing her by the waist, he whirled her around and dipped her down. She didn't have time to gasp before his lips were on hers. When he righted her, her brain was in a whirl.

"Better?" she asked.

"Much better."

"So, why are you here?"

Sam had left the school two years ago with the rest of his year. Unusually for Alice, they'd not broken up before he did so. They'd been together throughout the whole of his NEWTS and her OWLs, revising in hidey holes...or not revising, more usually. Her natural intelligence had got her through the OWLs, however. He had not been so lucky. The last she'd heard, he'd got straight Ds in his NEWTs, and then he'd disappeared off the map.

"I'm applying to be the new Flying Instructor," he explained. "Madam Boot is leaving soon, and I didn't have anything better to do. Besides, this way I could retake some exams, maybe get some other NEWTs. I don't want to do that forever, after all. I want to travel more. These past two years...I've spent them everywhere. I went to Singapore, Thailand, New Zealand. I've been to the South Pole! I've been to the Equator." He grinned. "I stepped from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern in one stride. And then back. Then half-in, half-out!"

She laughed. She'd forgotten how much Sam could fire you up. All this amazing, inspirational talk. But so easy-going, so relaxing.

"So, have you missed me?" he asked, grinning.

"Hardly," she sniffed. "There are plenty more fish in the sea, you know."

He laughed. He was the only boyfriend she'd ever had who didn't mind that she pretended disinterest. He knew that really, she cared.

"Go on, say it, you know that you missed me. You've been waiting for me. After all, we never broke up."

"So anyone between me and you was just a little affair," she agreed, laughing.

She stretched onto her tiptoes to kiss him again. He was too tall for her, even in her high heels. She preferred to kiss downwards.

"Next time we kiss, you have to sit down," she told him. "Otherwise I'll have to find some midget to kiss instead."

There was a strangled sob behind her. She whirled again and nearly stumbled, still dizzy from the kiss. Sam placed his arms around her shoulder to steady her. Stood on the stairs, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and horror, was Lia. Another Hufflepuff girl stood next to her.

With another gasp, Lia began to back away. The other Hufflepuff girl, Amy Burke, stepped forward, her gaze blistering.

"You never deserved her," she declared. "Now that she's seen what you're really like, I'll make sure you don't hurt her any more!"

"What do you mean?" Sam snorted dismissively. "I've never dated that girl. Was she even at Hogwaerts when I was? She doesn't look older than a first-year."

Alice tried to meet Lia's gaze, but she was staring at the floor. Sam's arms suddenly felt choking around her neck.

"Lia," she whispered, stepping forward, out of his hold.

The other girl turned and fled. Dimly, Alice heard Sam behind her, asking in a disinterested tone, 'what, do you know her?'.

She ignored him, and gave chase.

* * *

It hadn't worked. Her knowledge of secret passageways and trick doors was no longer any better than Lia's, not anymore. And even if it had been, she didn't dare try them. She had no idea where Lia was going. Where would Lia go when upset?

'_I didn't know. Lia's never upset. She's always comforting someone else, not being upset herself.'_

Alice's first thought had been Aisha - Lia and Aisha were best friends. But the chase hadn't led her there, but here. The portrait had banged shut just moments before she reached it, her face flushed, her breath coming in short gasps.

The portrait was a still-life – unlike with the Gryffindor wall hanging, no pleading would suffice here. Nor would wit allow her entry, as the Ravenclaw door did to all those who could reason. It had refused to allow her entry, as had all the students who followed. Hufflepuffs, she had shortly discovered, stick together, even after death.

She might have had luck with the first students. But she'd been asking for the wrong thing, at that point. The rules were too deeply ingrained in her. You weren't allowed to enter the Common Room of another House, so she'd begged them to get Lia to come out to see her.

Lia hadn't come. And as word had spread of what had happened (ridiculously fast, as all gossip did at Hogwarts), those students heading to their Common Room refused to even look at her. They'd leaned into the portrait in order to whisper the password, preventing her from overhearing. Many had decided to go through the InterHouse Common Room rather than face her.

An hour ago, and two hours after the event, a boy had come out. He was clearly a messenger. He was in her year, too. Richard Buckley. A nice boy. A bit slow, but very friendly. He'd repeated a message verbatim:

'Lia doesn't want to see you. She doesn't want to speak to you. She wants you to go away.'

He'd carried on walking, intending to go back in through the Inter-House Common Room rather than have to whisper the password to the portrait in front of her.

She'd grabbed his arm. Pleaded with him to open the portrait for her. She'd done everything short of seduce him – given the circumstances, it wouldn't be appropriate. Given her appearance - her hair still flyaway from her run through the castle, her robes sweaty, it probably wouldn't work.

Then she'd made a mistake. Desperate, she'd drawn her wand. Levelled it at his face. His sympathetic, regretful expression melted away. In its place was what must have been on the face of all those Hufflepuffs who'd faced down Death Eaters in the War. Fear mixed with a determination to never, ever betray.

She'd relaxed her grip, let him run away.

'_So much for the Gryffindor morals that you ought to have inherited,' _she thought bitterly. '_It's a good thing you were born now, because you clearly wouldn't have enough integrity to fight on the good side like your ancestors did.'_

"A Longbottom who isn't a decent person," a voice spoke, echoing her thoughts. "We'd never have believed it, before you came to this school. Compared to your father and brothers…..well, I hope your sister follows their example rather than yours."

Amy Burke stood at the portrait hole, her eyes glittering angrily. "I mean, your brother's in there right now, embarrassed beyond belief at the person his older sister is."

Frank, the brother who was two years below her in age, had been Sorted into Hufflepuff. She'd not even thought of him. At least Toby, who was ? years younger than Frank, was a Gryffindor. He'd be out of this. Sarah, her youngest sibling, hadn't even started Hogwarts yet. Not until next September. They joked that she ought to be a Slytherin – then this generation of Longbottoms would have the full set. In truth, Alice wouldn't have been surprised to see it. Sarah was as independent as Alice had been at her age., with a sarcastic tongue that rivalled even Lysander's.

Amy continued, ruthlessly digging the knife in deeper. "He's trying to apologise to Lia too. Of course, he can't get to her, given that she's helplessly crying in our dorm."

She'd never seen Lia cry. In seven years. She'd had bruises from Quidditch, watched Scorpius and Lia as they lay unconscious. But Lia hadn't believed they would die. She was optimistic. Always sunny. Never giving up. With a core of steel that was unshakeable. To hear that she'd brought Lia to that state…

Lia had always reminded Alice of the tales of mothers who'd faced down Hippogriffs to protect their children. She'd make a good mother one day.

'_Not if she stays with you,' _Alice thought. '_Maybe she's better off without you. She could have children…a family…a husband who deserves her."_

When she looked up again, Amy Burke had gone. Slowly, misery eating into her soul, Alice, too, began to cry.

* * *

As if in mockery, the sun rose next morning and began joyfully to shine, sending sparkles of light that glinted off the water in the lake and the glass in the window panel.

Alice shifted uncomfortably, feeling the circulation return to her legs as she moved them. There wasn't even the moment of grace as she woke up where she had forgotten what had transpired yesterday. Why else would she be waking up in a corridor?

She'd spent all night camped outside the portrait hole. As the hours passed curfew, she'd cast a Disillusionment Charm overnight. Nobody would drag her away from here. She wondered what Rose was thinking, if she wondered where she was.

Then the portrait hole opened. People began to leave, walking past her without a second glance. It was a different sort of ignoring from yesterday….of course. They weren't ignoring her. They couldn't see her due to the Disillusionment Charm.

She'd wait for Lia to come out. Surely she wouldn't miss breakfast?

It seemed like hours passed, though in reality it probably wasn't. She saw Lia exit the portrait hole. She didn't even need to see her face. She would have recognised her from her hair...or her feet…or her hands, or her body. Every part of her was distinctive. Every part perfect.

'_And she tried to change because she thought that she wasn't good enough,' _Alice thought, remembering. Throughout their entire school time, Lia had worn her hair long, uncut. She hardly ever did anything with it. She owned no make-up, couldn't walk a single step in high-heeled shoes, and when not in her school uniform wore Muggle clothing that, while usually brightly coloured, was obviously comfortable, sensible, functional.

Everything Alice's little tops, tight jeans, form-fitting robes and skyscraper heels were not.

Soon after their relationship went public, Lia had a haircut. She started to experiment with make-up. Alice hadn't encouraged it, but hadn't known how to discourage it either. It wasn't until she caught Lia reading _**Magick**__!, _a trashy teen wizarding magazine, that she'd said something.

Sitting down next to her in the Common Room, she'd taken her girlfriend's hand and began to trace her thumb over the palm.

"_You have lovely nails," she'd remarked absently, comparing Lia's rounded fingernails to her own, which were stubby and broke easily no matter how much she tried to grow them._

"_I need to cut them," Lia sighed, annoyed. "They grow too fast. I know I should put nail varnish on them or something-"_

"_Why should you? You don't care about your nails."_

"_Well, no, but-"_

"_But nothing," Alice interrupted again._ "_Stop it."_

_Lia, who couldn't tell a lie to save her life, tried to blink innocently. "Stop what?" she asked._

"_Trying to change," Alice murmured. "Trying to be more like ….like…"_

"_Like normal people?" Lia asked. "Why? You don't want to date a freak."_

"_You're not trying to bet like normal people." Alice disagreed. "But like everyone else. I don't want to date everyone else, or I would do. I want to date you. I want to kiss you. I can't deny that I like the shorter hair…" her hand moved up to trace Lia's neck, exposed by the new haircut, "but only because I can do this. And I can whisper in your ear more easily. You don't need make-up though, and you don't need to change. We've been friends for years. What makes you think I don't like who you are?"_

_Lia snorted. "You're the queen of gossip, I thought. People are already wondering how much I must be paying you."_

_Alice grimaced at the aspersions that this cast on both of them – for her, that she would be willing to exchange that sort of thing for cash, and for Lia that she would firstly need to, and secondly want to._

_She'd already heard that rumour though, and worse besides._

_There was no denying that the school hadn't known how to act._

Back in the present day, Alice reflected on the irony of preventing Lia trying to change for her – only to realise that it was Alice who needed to change for Lia.

Then she saw Lia emerge from the Common Room, and she followed. Still invisible, she waited until they were in the Great Hall before cancelling the Disillusionment Charm.

Someone near to her gasped. She'd chosen to stand beside Lia's chair, so that the other girl wouldn't have to move.

"Merlin, I've never seen Longbottom look so awful," someone muttered. Alice knew it must be true – she usually never ventured out without three layers of make-up, and a night of little sleep and more crying wouldn't have done anything for her complexion.

But that was just too bad. The school must have realised she didn't actually look like she appeared to, surely. Nobody had skin that perfect!

"Alice?" Rose gasped. She was sat on one of the tables behind Lia. Aisha, Scorpius and Albus were all at Lia's table, along with Amy Burke and another Hufflepuff girl.

Lysander was sat with Rose, his gaze sorrowful. He didn't believe Alice and Lia could ever make this up. And he was a good judge of character. Rose made to get up – and Lorcan and Lysander pulled her down.

Alice ignored them all.

"Lia," she murmured, but the other girl didn't move. The sounds around her faded out, as she focused on her girlfriend – or ex-girlfriend, although the thought made her heart constrict painfully, despite knowing that the heart had nothing to do with emotion.

Lia's gaze was resolutely on the toast on her plate. She reached for a jar and began to spread honey on her toast.

"You don't like honey," Alice reminded her. "We've always said that you were sweet enough already."

Lia turned to look at her then. Brown eyes met blue eyes, both pairs slightly red-rimmed and bloodshot.

"I don't feel very sweet," Lia said quietly. "Leave me alone, Alice."

"I can't," Alice whispered.

Somehow, it felt wrong to whisper. She never spoke in whispers except to flirt. But this conversation wasn't anyone else's business.

"I didn't mean it," she said.

"Didn't mean what?" Lia asked, still quiet.

Alice swallowed. She didn't want to say it. "To kiss Sam," she said, her voice dropping even lower. "I was just so shocked. I would have never started anything with him-"

"But that's the problem, Alice. There'll always be a thousand rumours saying that you have done something. And I've already ignored a hundred of them, because I trusted you." A tear began to form in her eye. "But I can't trust you any more."

Standing up, Lia brushed past Alice, hurrying through the crowds of chairs and the unwelcome stares that followed her as she went. Aisha and Amy followed, the latter throwing Alice a smug look and the former throwing her a completely impenetrable one.

It ought to be anger – Lia was Aisha's best friend. But there was disappointment too. And sadness, presumably in sympathy with Lia's sadness.

Now she felt Rose's hand on her shoulder. The other girl hauled her to a standing position.

"Eat something," she urged.

"I can't," Alice said bleakly.

"Don't be dramatic," Albus said jokingly, but there was hardness to his tone. _There's the anger I was expecting, _Alice thought.

"I have to get her back, Rose." Alice told her friend as the redhead forced her into a chair at the table that she, Lorcan and Lysander were sharing.

"I don't think you will do," Lysander said sadly. "I hope this doesn't break up our group, but…" he let the words trail off, regretting already the selfishness that had sounded in his immediate thoughts of their little band. It was clear already that there were divisions, though. There always had been.

Scorpius and Albus had been closer than anyone else. They had always let Aisha into their group, and Lia had been part of the package. Rose and Alice, on the other hand, had been inseparable and there had always been tensions between Alice and Aisha for some reason. Maybe it was the wasted potential that Aisha could see in the frivolous Ravenclaw. It wasn't a Slytherin thing – Lysander had always been Alice's friend, her rock in a very unsteady world of school politics. Lorcan, somehow, had become her confidante.

"Some relationships just don't happen," Rose said. "It wasn't meant to be."

"Yes, it was!" Alice snapped, and stood. "I'm going to go find her."

"Alice…" Rose tried, but the blonde had already gone.

"Is she making a mistake?" Rose asked Lysander.

"I hope not. But they might lose even a chance at friendship if she keeps trying to pursue this. And Lia's so soft-hearted…she might just take Alice back. And that might be the worst thing of all."

"Sometimes magnets are better this way around," Lorcan said.

The other two looked at him in complete confusion. Rose tried to rationalise through his thought processes.

"You mean that opposites attract? Or that magnets repel?"

"That magnets can turn each other around, so that they can fit together. Maybe Alice needs that."

This didn't make any more sense so, as with so many of the things Lorcan said, the pair ignored it.

* * *

Alice reached the door of the Hufflepuff Common Room. This time, she had a new tactic.

"Tell everybody in there that nobody is going in, and nobody is coming out unless Amelia Creevey comes out first," she said to a fifth-year Hufflepuff who was trying to furtively whisper the password.

"Umm…." he stammered. The look in Alice's eyes convinced him, and he nodded quickly and hurried through.

Ten minutes later, the portrait hole opened again.

"She'll trick you into coming back! You're making a mistake, Lia!" a girl's voice cried, as a small blonde girl, only looking old enough to be fifteen, not the eighteen that she was, climbed through the portrait hole.

"Am I?" Lia asked Alice softly.

"I- Yes." Alice said.

Lia blinked in surprise. She'd not expected that response.

"You are. Because you don't get anything out of this. You get worry, and fear, and the expectation that I'll hurt you again. You get envy as people flirt with me…..and I flirt with them. You get the task of listening to me as I go on forever about silly things that you don't care about. This is so unfair. Because I get you. I get someone who makes me want to be her. Who makes me like myself, and not care, for once in my life, what other people think. Because what she thinks is more important. Who makes me want to be less frivolous, because when I think about what you'd think of some of the things I've done, I want to curl up in shame. Who is so kind that she'll even deign to speak with me, even when I've just done the most cruel, shallow thing."

"So why should I do it?"

"Because you're a Hufflepuff. You like working hard, don't you? I'm a challenge, that you have to admit. And you like being kind, and giving. I'm the charity case. What do you say?"

There was a moment of silence that seemed to last forever.

"But I've seen you lie," Lia said. "And I can't tell the difference between them, when you're telling the truth and when you're not. You need to be with someone who doesn't need you to be honest."

"But I want to be honest – to you, anyway. I'll never lie to you. You have my word on that, for whatever good it'll be. I'll swear on anything. And if I do anything, anything at all. If there's a rumour, or even a hint that I have, it'll be over. Just let's try."

"No. I don't want to be listening out for a rumour. I can't trust hearsay." Lia hesitated. "I believe you. I can't trust you, not yet. But I believe that you wouldn't lie to me. Maybe that's because I'm stupid, but I have to try. I don't think I want it to be otherwise."

There was a lot of discussion around Hogwarts, in the following days, about the very short, and very sudden, stumble in the relationship of Alice and Lia. Some thought Lia stupid for taking Alice back – others thought that Lia should cling onto the good thing she'd caught while Alice was willing to give it.

There were cold looks from Hufflepuffs for weeks, and whispers followed the both of them wherever they went.

Albus would have confronted Alice. Warned her not to hurt Lia again. All of his Gryffindor chivalrous instincts had been stirred in defence of the fair maiden, even if it was against another fair maiden. But Aisha had restrained him.

"Lia's not a damsel in distress. People always think she's weak, and timid. Just because she's small and quiet. That doesn't mean anything. Look at her on the Quidditch Pitch! Anyone who can hit a Bludger that hard isn't entirely defenceless. You don't have to worry about Lia. We Slytherins think we're so smart, subtly manipulating people. But Hufflepuffs can do it even better, especially against Ravenclaws like Alice. They can use their emotions, their weaknesses and their kindness to trap someone just as smoothly. There's a Muggle saying – the best traps are those you convince people to build themselves."

"I don't understand," Albus replied.

"Lia will do what she wants. And get Alice to do the same. Alice wants to make her happy, you see. And Lia can get her to do anything with that. "

* * *

**Chapter title from (and chapter largely based on) Take A Bow, by Rihanna.**

**Sorry if there are any typing mistakes in my spelling or grammar...I'm proof-reading at the same time as watching the Eurovision Song Contest.**

**x**


	50. We Learned To Fly Together, Side By Side

**The last chapter of the seven years! Woah. It's long, although weirdly not the longest. And I love that it's the precise half-century chapter.**

**And I don't remember if I said this before...it doesn't end here. Sorry. I can't leave my characters yet, so I'm going to do seven more moments, spaced out in their adult years. I think I have said this before...I'm losing my memory, sorry.**

**Thanks for reviewing: shine lots, Joelle8, silverbirch, Marciabarcia, susiipie, TwistedRaver, Twisted Identity, Doni, anamolly2013, Likewow5556, Arlath's Star, Jasper Lupione and SeekDreamsAndFindHope.**

**And thank you all for reading this far.**

* * *

**Chapter 50: We Learned To Fly, Together, Side By Side**

**Graduating From Hogwarts: June 2024**

Seven years. Seven years of spells and friends, homework and detentions…..more of the latter than the former for quite a few people.

But now it was over. The last Anti-Cheating quill had been laid down. The NEWT exams had been hellish. You'd think, with there being fewer subjects, it would be easier than OWLs. But there's so much more to learn, as one despairing seventh-year remarked to another.

"Our time at Hogwarts has been more than a time at a school. It's been a wonderful journey- No, that's wrong," Aisha decided, and scribbled out the offending sentence. "Calling it a 'journey' sounds so sentimental and clichéd." She groaned and rubbed her temples. "I hate writing speeches," she complained. "I have to say this speech, shouldn't somebody else have to write it?"

"That's what you get for being Head Girl," Lysander said airily.

"Can't Scorpius write it?" Rose suggested.

"He's too busy sorting out the music. Whose idea was it that the Head Boy and Girl should organize the Graduation Ceremony? And can I kill them?"

"I think they're already dead," Lorcan told her.

"It's strange, isn't it? That people call your time at school a 'journey', but we actually started ours with a journey," Alice said thoughtfully. She was leaning against the tree, fully in shade, as always. The last accessories she wanted for her graduation were sunburn or freckles. Aisha was sat next to her, parchment stretched over a board propped on her knees. Lysander, like Lorcan, was lying fully in the sun. Lia had her legs in the sun, and her head in Alice's lap – Alice was braiding a daisy chain into the other girl's blonde hair.

Scorpius and Albus were nowhere to be seen – as Aisha had said, Scorpius was trying to arrange music for the Graduation Ceremony. And since the best band at the moment just happened to have two members who were related to Albus, he'd gone along to help with persuasion.

"Just think about it for a bit," Lia advised. "You've got a week. Something might pop into your head if you relax and think of something else."

"And if that fails, ask Lysander to write it for you," Alice added.

"15 Sickles," Lysander said immediately.

"I'm your friend! And a fellow Slytherin."

Lysander considered this for a moment. "Thirteen Sickles then. Special discount rate."

"I bet I could get somebody for eight," Aisha pointed out.

"Go ahead then. You know I'm the best."

"Ten Sickles."

"Twelve sickles, four Knuts."

"Eleven Sickles, four Knuts."

"Twelve Sickles exactly. Final offer."

"Fine!" Aisha handed him her parchment and quill. "Work your magic."

* * *

One week later, plenty of magic had been worked. The band was booked, the speech was written, the stage had been set out. And it was time.

Alice surveyed herself in the mirror, and smiled. Two weeks after her argument with her father, he'd come up to her with an early birthday present. Maybe he'd been paying more attention than usual, or maybe he'd asked someone for advice on what to give her (and not her mother, because she didn't have a clue), because it had been her best birthday present ever.

He'd booked her a session with Madam Brun to have a dress for graduation made up for her. She'd been literally stunned – Madam Brun was the best and most exclusive dressmaker in Wizarding Britain. She made robes for models, singers and high-ranking officials. Not teenagers. When she'd asked him how he and Mum had managed it, he had just mentioned something about old friends.

_And when she arrived at Madam Brun's for her appointment, the glamorous girl who manned the register swept her up and down with one look, then asked if she could help with a voice so disdainful that it just screamed 'go home, little girl.'_

_The pride that had filled Alice when the appointment book had been checked and she'd been admitted into the inner sanctum had been overwhelming._

_Madam Brun, as it turned out, was really quite ordinary looking. She wore a scarf over her hair, perfectly colour co-ordinated with a flowing top and fitted Muggle trousers. Then she stood up to face Alice and the Ravenclaw only just managed to stifle a gasp._

_The whole left side of the dressmaker's face was scarred, worse even than her father's. The headscarf did not hide the lack of an ear and the scars, which twisted her skin until it resembled nothing human, ran from the line of her headscarf down until they disappeared beneath her top. _

"_My thigh," Madame Brun said._

"_Sorry?" Alice stammered._

"_The scars run to my thigh. It happened during the Battle of Hogwarts. That's what you were thinking, right?" Her voice held a bored tone, like she had heard this before._

"_I- Actually, I was admiring the pattern on your bandanna."_

_Madame Brun laughed. It was still the laugh of a young girl. "So you are like your parents after all. They were both ever so sweet, although Neville could be pretty fierce when the situation called for it." _

"_Erm, thank you? But really, I'm not sweet. And I'm nothing like them."_

"_Oh, sweetie. You are, even if you don't think it."_

"_I'm not! They were brave, and kind, and fighters. I'm flighty, and cowardly, and boring."_

"_So was I, at Hogwarts. At least until the Dark times came. You don't know, Alice, what you might be if you were tested. Don't you think you were showing a little bit of Gryffindor bravery when you and your girlfriend made your relationship public? Or some Hufflepuff loyalty."_

"_How did you know about that?" Alice demanded._

"_I have my ways. You know of them too. A bowl of water, a mirror, the smoke. Divination isn't as fraudulent as some would have you believe."_

_Alice stared at her. She'd never told anyone of her come-and-go ability to see things in the fire, in her mirror. It had proved useful, on occasion. She'd search for her friends there if she wanted to know where they were, whether it was to avoid them or find them. She refused to consider it cheating that she might look for the essay topics that would come up in exams there – after all, it was just using the skills that she had, like you did in an exam. _

"_Anyway, I hear you want a graduation __dress__. A beautiful one, of course." _

_Alice nodded dumbly. _

"_Superb. Now…." Madame Brun walked around Alice, then waved her wand. A measuring tape flitted in and began taking her measurements, hips, waist, chest, arm._

"_Madame Brun-" Alice began, but was cut off._

"_Please, call me Lavender."_

"_Lavender. Why did you decide to be a dressmaker, not a Seer?"_

"_I didn't want to be a Seer." Two brown eyes, still beautiful, gazed out of Lavender's ruined face. "I used my gifts throughout my seventh year, and I saw enough pain, enough darkness, enough torture to last a lifetime. It changed me, like the War changed us all. And I didn't want to spend the rest of my life looking at the future, looking for the worst in everything. I wanted to make things beautiful, make things the best they can be."_

"_You sound so…certain."_

"_Well, I didn't exactly have all that sorted in my mind when I picked this," Lavender snorted. "But I've thought about it a lot afterwards, and talked about it with friends, with boyfriends."_

"_Are you married?" As soon as she spoke, Alice winced at the insensitivity of her question. _

"_No." Lavender smiled. "But thank you for asking, for not assuming that this" she gestured towards her scars "would prevent that from happening. I could have been. But there was nobody. The problem with my generation is that we all grew up so quickly. Our first crush was often our first love. And you always remember your first."_

_Alice thought about stories she had heard, and frowned. "But your first was already claimed?"_

_Lavender laughed again. "You mean Ron? Merlin's beard, no! We knew he was Hermione's before I dated him. Parvati and I had known since our fourth year. I went out with Ron to make someone else jealous, much like he did with me. We both succeeded, we both found our love. But Ron's lived."_

_Alice remained silent. She didn't know if Lavender wanted to talk about this, she didn't know if she wanted to talk about this, but she did know, as did most of her generation, to let someone think when their eyes were clouded with grief and memories, as Lavender's were then._

"_Tony," Lavender finally sighed. "Anthony Goldstein. Ravenclaw. He died in the Battle of Hogwarts, like too many people. We dated for almost all of our seventh year….he rescued me when I was in detention with Goyle. And he did it so well, Goyle never even realized I was gone. He was so much better than any of those Gryffindor louts. Sure, Seamus rescued Parvati once, and Neville saved Hannah. Heroic, of course. But they got caught, and punished. Tony and I got out scot-free thanks to Ravenclaw brains rather than Gryffindor brawn."_

_Lavender blinked, and smiled at Alice again. "Opened up a can of worms there, didn't you? And what do you think?"_

"_About what?" Alice began to ask, then followed the woman's gaze. The dress…it was finished. It was a deep blue, the same colour as her eyes. It fitted her hourglass figure perfectly, but skimmed flatteringly over a plump stomach and running close to her thighs to end just above the knee. It had sleeves, preventing the problem of that bulge of armpit fat, but they were puffed and off the shoulders, showing off Alice's chest and flawless white shoulders. Behind her, the back dipped daringly to showcase more ivory skin._

"_Ravenclaw blue," Lavender whispered softly._

And now, Alice gazed at herself in the mirror and smiled, fingering the matching flower that had been Lorcan's birthday present to her and which now sat in her hair, holding just a portion back from her face. Lia had given her golden jewellery, bangles, earrings and a ring. But no necklace. Her girlfriend had refused to give her a necklace, and had even dared to flirt as she did so, mentioning the smooth expanse of white skin and an irresistible urge that it caused in Lia's fingers.

Behind her, the light caught on a mirrored silver bowl, a gift from Lavender. They had talked for a long time, as Lavender made minute adjustments to the dress**. **The name Anthony Goldstein had seemed unusually familiar to Alice, beyond the usual familiarity of the names that adorned the war memorial that stood in the grounds of Hogwarts. When she'd at last remembered that the boy had become the Ravenclaw ghost, and told Lavender, the older woman had smiled sadly. "Isn't he wonderful," she'd sighed. "Such a gentleman. He's waiting for me, you see. Ladies first and all that. He'll pass on when I do."

"So you already knew?" Alice had asked.

Lavender had nodded in reply. "It was actually your father who told me. Tony didn't want Neville to tell me – though he wants to wait for me, he doesn't want me to live my life waiting for a dead man. He refuses to live with me, rather than at Hogwarts. A scarred, middle-aged woman living with a teenaged ghost? I'm supposed to grow up, to have the life he died for us to have."

A look of pity had crossed Alice's face, but Lavender had quickly scolded her for it. "It's not like you have it any worse," she snorted. "I pity all of your generation, having to live up to parents who were heroes and knowing that people died for you. Never feeling worthy of it. But you are, in the little ways that people can be in peace time."

Thinking now, Alice wondered if it was a life lived mostly alone, or the War, ending her childhood too early, that made Lavender speak so solemnly. She'd heard her parents doing the same. But then Lavender had begun to gossip with her, as Hagrid used to when she was a child, interested in all the doings of the young generation at Hogwarts, and at the Professors, particularly those like Professor Sinistra who had been there in Lavender's time, or Professor Corner who had been students with her.

""Stop admiring yourself already," Rose teased, for Alice, lost in thought, had been stood in front of the mirror for a long time. Alice turned and smiled at her best friend, who grinned back.

"Last day of school ever," Alice sighed. After the ceremony today, they took the carriages back to Hogsmeade, where they were free to depart.

Rose nodded, looking pensive. "You're not actually happy about that, are you?" she realised.

Alice shrugged. "Only you would notice that. But no. I've loved school. I love learning new stuff, and I love not having so many responsibilities. I don't think I want to move on."

"I do. There's been loads to learn here, but in the real world there will be better stuff."

Alice rolled her eyes and surveyed Rose with a critical eye. Dressed in a light blue that set off her tan and with her waves of hair caught up in a twist, she looked lovely, and Alice said so.

"And you're not just saying that because you picked the robes," Rose retorted "And did my hair."

Alice shrugged unapologetically. Rose had no sense of style. It was necessary. The two of them returned to the Ravenclaw dorm, where the other four Ravenclaws were busily preparing. Imogen Yen, the only one not completely dressed, quickly zipped up her dress as Alice and Rose smothered a smile.

Ever since coming out, a few of the Ravenclaw girls had been slightly more cautious about dressing around Alice. Kate O'Keefe had been the only one blunt enough to question her about it, to which she'd pointed out that they didn't feel an irrational urge to chase every man they saw without a shirt.

"I might look, and appreciate, but with a completely impartial eye." she'd assured Kate. "Like an artist painting a nude."

Gina Simmons, who was listening in, had blushed, but the message had presumably been taken on board. When Alice asked Rose why she hadn't been worried, the answer was kind. "I know you wouldn't care. You're too wrapped up in Lia."

If only the rest of the student body was so sure. Rumours still flew around, like they always had, about Alice being involved in this boy or that boy, or now this girl. Despite recent events between them, Lia, thank Merlin, had ignored the rumours, although only Aisha knew how much effort that had taken.

The two friends left their dorm together now, as they were meeting Al, the twins and Lia. Scorpius and Aisha, as Head Boy and Girl, were already down in the grounds.

Rose wished that Scorpius didn't have to be somewhere else and could see her leaving her dorm room, fully dressed, but she forced away the urge. Not long until they could tell their parents and be together publicly, she reminded herself.

Albus was thinking something similar, more that he wished he could see Aisha now, rather than have to endure her being seen first by Scorpius. He wasn't particularly jealous, which was lucky, as otherwise Al's best friend having the chance to spend so much time with (not to mention having to share his first dance with) Al's girlfriend might have driven him over the edge.

Lysander, charming as he was, had also secured a date to their graduation. Rebecca Anderton, a quietly pretty brunette from Gryffindor stood in front of him as he fastened her necklace.

Because Lysander didn't know anybody who his brother liked, but did know quite a few girls who either liked Lorcan or were desperate for a date, he had set Lorcan up with Violetta Goyle, the best friend of Lysander's date. Lorcan hadn't had much say in the matter, but didn't seem too upset, although it was always hard to tell with him. So Violetta, dark-haired and looking lovely in purple robes that highlighted her curves, stood shyly next to Rebecca as she waited for Lorcan to arrive.

Lia met Alice's eyes, and the world melted away for the both of them. Alice, for once in her life, did not care about the appreciative looks that followed her across the room. Not stumbling once despite her three-inch heels, she took the necklace that Lia held in her hands and, copying Lysander, fixed it gently behind her girlfriend's neck as Lia held her blonde waves out of the way.

Like in their fifth-year, the four girls had decided on a theme for their dress robes. Then, they had insisted on non-Hogwarts colours, resulting in their array of pink, purple, white and brown. Now, they all chose their House colours. Easy enough for Alice and Rose, not too bad for Aisha. More of a difficulty for Lia – mustard yellow wasn't really her colour. But Alice had forgotten the other Hufflepuff colour, and was now delighted to be able to see Lia's little black Muggle-style dress, V-necked and short. On anyone else it might have looked too sombre, but the golden tan of Lia's skin and the gleam of her hair set it off perfectly.

It didn't seem long before all forty of the year's students were gathered at the stage that had been erected in the Hogwarts grounds. Assorted siblings, parents and family friends filled the seating as Aisha and Scorpius made their speech.

People laughed at the photos from the students' early years, cried at the realization they would all be leaving each other and nodded in appreciation and recognition as the pair spoke of new clichés and traditions that had arisen amongst their year.

Aisha smiled at last, and fixed her gaze on Professor Adams. "Now, it's probably obvious to all of you that we were the first year to experience the new Sorting. But one thing that we've never said is thank you. Without that…..Hogwarts would be a lesser place. I would be a lesser person. The wizarding community as a whole would be less, because it is only when we work together that we realize what we can do. With the ambition of a Slytherin friend driving him forward, a Hufflepuff's hard work can be realized. With the practicality of a Hufflepuff friend to keep her down to earth, a Ravenclaw can transform abstract reasoning into real applications. With the wit of a Ravenclaw girlfriend to let them know when they get too over-protective, a Gryffindor can truly protect the weak. And with the nobility of a Gryffindor boyfriend to alleviate ruthlessness, a Slytherin can truly achieve their desires." She finished by smiling at Albus as Scorpius took over talking.

"I know what you're all thinking – it's the dragon in the room. How appropriate it is that this change should be trumpeted by us. A Malfoy in Gryffindor and a Muggleborn in Slytherin." There were a few mouths falling open at his direct words. "But it's worse than that." His voice fell dramatically. "Aisha's from _Birmingham,' _he mock-whispered conspiratorially.

The students laughed; a few of the parents did too, but more of them frowned in confusion.

"That's nothing," Aisha snorted. She indicated Scorpius with a thumb. "He's a Virgo."

This time, more people understood, and begin to grin appreciatively.

"The thing that our year has discovered is that it doesn't matter what your surname is. Or your star-sign, your Blood Status, your home town, your skin colour, your gender, your orientation. None of it. We're people first. Scorpius being a Malfoy doesn't affect the fact that he's an excellent chess player but absolutely awful at being punctual." Aisha continued.

"Aisha being a Muggleborn doesn't change the fact that she's hopeless at Exploding Snap, or the fact that she has an uncanny gift to read words upside down." Scorpius continued. "And other than being a Muggleborn in Slytherin and a Malfoy in Gryffindor, the first of our kind in generations, we're the best to represent this change for a whole host more reasons, far better ones than who happened to be our ancestors. Aisha and I are close friends, but so is our entire group of eight who happened to sit in the same boat that fateful evening. We've stayed close throughout our seven years, despite the difficulties that should have been posed by House and family alliances. So close, in fact, that three couples have been formed between the eight of us."

Several spectators, mostly students and those parents who kept up with school gossip frowned in confusion. _Three _couples. Aisha Siddiqui and Albus Potter, yes. Amelia Creevey and Alice Longbottom also. No gossip appeared in the paper any more - thanks to Hermione Weasley, who had introduced a law banning articles based on underage witches and wizards or students without the permission of their parent or guardian. But their children had let them know about those two pairs.

But who was the third couple? There was only Rose Weasley left as a girl…but was that an obstacle any more? Some brains tried to figure it out, but had to leave the train of thought as Aisha resumed speaking.

"So, to honour our Headmistress, who initiated this idea and to whom we owe so much, we've decided to hand out the scrolls awarded to each student leaving Hogwarts in a way, I am assured, that is very American – as she is."

Aisha hoped that it _was _American – Lysander, Lia and she had discussed this, asking a few other half-bloods and Muggleborns for their opinions (although Lysander had no Muggle ties, he had been reading Muggle newspapers and magazines, and had visited Lia and Aisha to watch Muggle programmes on television. Given that he planned to study at a Muggle university, it seemed the best course of action to him, and Aisha was only too happy to oblige – she, too, had begun following developments in the Muggle world again. It had saddened her every year as she returned to her family, that the girls she once called friends now talked about things which she had never heard of and didn't understand, and she had at last resolved to change that.)

"Instead of receiving the scrolls in the post," Scorpius continued, "we hope that our Headmistress will consent to hand them to the rest of our year, as Aisha and I call out each name."

Upon receiving Professor Adam's nod of consent, the three took up positions next to a table heaped with parchment scrolls. And began.

"Rebecca Anderton, Gryffindor," Aisha began. "Possibly the only student kind-hearted enough to feel pity for a Flobberworm and its lack of variety in its diet. Leaving us to go and help build orphanages in poorer countries with WAWAP, Witches and Wizards Against Poverty."

With the help of her friends, Aisha had decided to make a little adjustment. She considered this mechanical name-calling far too impersonal for a class of only forty, and had resolved to say at least one personal thing about each student. For some it was easy, for others more difficult, but between the eight of them, spanning all Houses and including Alice, who had dated most of the boys, Lysander who had dated most of the girls and Aisha, who had befriended many of both, they had succeeded.

"Meghan Blackmoor, Slytherin. Studying Ancient Languages at the University of Cambridge – remembering the fact that you managed to correct Professor Pucey once on an Ancient Runes translation, I'm sure you'll do fantastically," preceded Lia Creevey and Liv Donovan, both of them beginning Healer training.

"Branwen Kendrick, Gryffindor." Aisha was the one who had arranged to do this one, given that Branwen was Scorpius' ex-girlfriend. "Joining the Department for Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. If anyone has enough vitality to be able to control a catastrophe, it's you."

"Alice Longbottom, Ravenclaw," was followed only by 'studying for a Potions apprenticeship, although Potions is but one of her many, many talents."

In light of their new truce, Scorpius read out "Wayne Macmillan, Gryffindor, whose skills in Gobstones are unrivalled. A deserving head of the Gobstones Club, he is joining the Improper Use of Magic Office."

Aisha then read out the information for Scorpius, before continuing along. The extremely quiet Sophie O'Brien, although beaten to the title of most unlikely Beater by Lia, was nonetheless the Ravenclaw team's secret weapon, and had just been signed by the Holyhead Harpies reserve team. Aisha was proud to read out that Eric Ogden had achieved one of the places at York University, as Rose clapped particularly hard for him – she'd tutored him in many of his subjects, and he winked in recognition of that fact.

Scorpius reminded them all that Gina Simmons, Ravenclaw, had founded the Hogwarts Choir, before telling them that she was leaving to follow an Arithmancy apprenticeship at Gringotts. And that she should resist the urge to think of humming 'whistle while you work.' Goblins were not dwarves, and would not appreciate the comparison. A surprising number of non-Muggleborns got the joke.

The announcement that Lorcan Scamander would enter training to be a Magizoologist met with no surprise, nor did the information that Lysander Scamander would study Law at Durham University.

Scorpius read out 'Aisha Siddiqui, Head Girl, Slytherin and superb Seeker, beginning training for Magical Law Enforcement."

Nobody was surprised to learn that Rose Weasley, who had loved every day of her schooling, had chosen to study for longer and had won a place at arguably the best university in the country, the University of Cambridge to study Charms.

When the ceremony had finally finished, with the pronouncement "Imogen Yen, Ravenclaw, who must be the most curious student Hogwarts has seen in years, leaving to study Magical Genetics at York University' ,the stage was cleared of everyone and everything but Aisha and Scorpius, the four Houses gathering at the four corners of the stage.

And then the curtains opened behind them as the music struck up. The band began to play. Aisha and Scorpius began the first dance, as they were required to. They stepped, spun, with Scorpius' hand on the small of Aisha's back. Then Albus, over in the Gryffindor ranks, caught Rose's eye. Nodding, Rose walked forward at the same time Albus did. Spectators frowned. Surely two cousins weren't escorting each other?

But no. Just as Scorpius and Aisha split for a twirl, each found themselves with a new partner. The right one, thankfully. The two couples kissed and jaws dropped, throughout the student body and the crowd of families. "Scorpius Malfoy and Rose Weasley?" the hissed mutter ran throughout the crowd.

Lia and Alice were the only couple not too shellshocked to think of dancing and they too moved forwards to take their place on the dance floor. More couples joined them until the music changed, to a faster, modern song. Lia and Alice pulled Rose and Aisha into their little circle, where they danced. Partner swapping was happening all over the stage. Sad songs came where tears fell and even magical mascara ran. Fast songs where 'do you remember' echoed. Then the familiar strains of the school song began, and they all began to line up as they sang the words that graduating students had always sung. As it began for its third and final repetition, wands were drawn and raised towards the sky until finally, with the word 'rot', sparks were fired from every student, in every colour imaginable.

* * *

**We never got to see students graduate, so I sort of let my imagination roam free. Sorry if you didn't like any of it, or thought it wasn't appropriate. I wrote it in a very nostalgic mood. **

**x**


	51. When We're Together I Feel So Invincible

**Our first post-Hogwarts chapter! Neither a long chapter nor long after Hogwarts - just to get us started.**

**Thanks for reviewing: SeekDreamsAndFindHope, shine lots, Jasper Lupione, Marciabarcia, silverbirch, mystlyx, Doni, Joelle8, anamolly2013, TwistedRaver, Likewow5556, dawnghost, Arlath's Star and susiipie.**

* * *

**Chapter 51: When We're Together, I Feel So Invincible**

**October 2024 - They Start Their Jobs**

Working out living arrangements was complicated in a way it hadn't been for seven years. Albus and Aisha, in the end, might as well live together – but neither was comfortable with such a leap, so suddenly. Lia and Alice, Rose and Scorpius, both only a few months into their relationship were too uncertain to share a flat, yet too close to want to be so separate. Lorcan was the only simple factor in the equation – spending most of his time travelling, at first with his parents and then on his own salary, any couch on which he could crash for the few nights he would spend in England was fine.

In the end, they found a solution. Albus, Scorpius, Lia and Aisha would all share a house. After all, three of them had to go to the same place each morning.

Rose and Scorpius had had an interesting reception to their relationship. Ron had gone very red, and hadn't said very much above a mutter. Although the main subject of his muttering seemed to be that little Rosie was too young to date.

Lucius had refused to even mention it with Scorpius, but Scorpius didn't care because both of his parents had been clearly happy. Although Draco had made a comment which Scorpius disliked, about how fraternising with Rose could only improve the Malfoy name these days, Astoria had been genuinely pleased that her son was dating anyone who made her happy, and she knew from Scorpius' many letters home that he and Rose were close, closer than Scorpius would have realised that he admitted.

Lysander, on the other hand, had chosen an option which few of his fellow wizards did – to live in the Halls of Residence that the university offered. Generally, the wizards who attended the four partnership universities (Oxford, Cambridge, Durham and York) lived in a college filled exclusively with wizards. Muggle students who applied to stay in this college would always find their application transferred to a different one.

Rose, on the other hand, picked a more common wizarding option – to simply rent a flat with friends and Floo to the designated spot in her college. The friend she chose being Alice, and the flat being located in Wizarding London.

By common agreement, however, they usually chose to meet in the house, rather than Rose and Alice's flat. Which was how they found themselves all having breakfast before the first day of their new lives. For Rose and Lysander, it was the beginning of lectures at university. For Scorpius and Albus, it was the first day of Auror training; for Aisha the first day of Enforcer training. For Lorcan, it was the end of his holiday before he joined his parents abroad. For Lia, it was the first day of her Healer lessons at St. Mungo's. For Alice, it was the first day of her apprenticeship to a Master Potioneer in Unuju Alley.

For all of them, it was the beginning of a new era. The beginning of an adult life.

Albus had finished breakfast quite some time ago, and was now tapping his fingers impatiently on his thigh as Aisha bid farewell to her friends. She got up, already dressed in the training robes that all recruits were issued, and stood beside him. He wrapped his fingers around hers.

"Hurry up, mate," he told Scorpius good-naturedly, as his best friend finished kissing his girlfriend goodbye.

"Just because you get to work with your girlfriend," Rose retorted as they pulled away. The blond boy went to join his friends and, with a final wave, the three of them Disapparated, reappearing in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic.

Together, they walked towards and through the security desk. They continued towards the lifts, with the only sign that any of them had noticed the considerably different treatment that Scorpius had received being the slight scowl on Al's face.

Scorpius had almost forgotten about all of this, after having established himself properly at Hogwarts. But now it was all rushing back to him, from the wide berth he was being given by the surrounding crowd to the deliberate slowness and over-attention of the guard as he had examined Scorpius' wand in more depth than any of the others. It was in the looks that people gave to all three of them – awed looks at Albus, mistrustful looks at him. Speculative looks at Aisha. And bewildered looks at the way that the three young people stood and walked so close together. There were a few speculative looks at him too - his relationship with Rose Weasley was common knowledge , and none of the wider Wizarding public knew what to make of it. Rumours flew around every week, that one or the other of the two had been disowned, cheated, that they'd broken up. They were eighteen now, and fair game for the gossip columns.

"Wow, we got a lift to ourselves," he said sarcastically, as people hurriedly vacated the lift they entered.

"There's the optimist we all know and love," Albus joked.

Aisha sighed. "They'll forget all about it soon enough," she reminded him.

Nodding, Scorpius vowed to make them do just that. Later that day, as they stood in ranks whilst Head Auror Potter gave them a speech, he renewed his vow, as did Albus. Neither of them wanted their surname to be the most memorable thing about the pair of them.

* * *

Rose and Lysander were the next to depart, leaving together although they were going to very separate places – Lysander to Durham, Rose to Cambridge. And they both Flooed into their respective colleges, ready and excited for their first lecture.

Taking a seat in "Charms and their Components," Rose pulled out her notepad and ballpoint pen, a contraption which had thrilled several of her friends and particularly her grandfather, and prepared to take notes.

Lysander, many miles away, was doing much the same. Only rather than acquainting himself with his new pen, he made sure to meet as many of his fellow students as possible.

This first lecture was one on Wizarding Law with students from wizarding schools all around the world being there. However, Lysander was most looking forward to future lectures, which would be shared with Muggles.

* * *

Lia left next, her blonde hair fixed in a neat plait. She was also Flooing, all the way to the hospital where they would begin their training. With a hug and a kiss for her girlfriend and a good luck wish for Lorcan, she entered the fire.

And appeared, moments later, in the fireplace of the lower floor of St. Mungo's, where most of the theoretical lessons would take place. Only four other students sat of the students were from her year at Hogwarts – Liv Donovan from Slytherin and Anthony Stretton, a Ravenclaw. The others were older, having probably taken a gap between leaving Hogwarts and starting training. Wizards often did this, at many times in their life – when a life was so long, why not? Teaching at Hogwarts was often one of the ways to fill the gap. It wasn't a life that fit well to having children, given the requirement of living in, so was usually filled by the old, young or single. Neville Longbottom had been an exception. Victoire Weasley and Michael Corner, the Charms and Potions Professors might be expected to leave soon – although wizards usually had children a bit later than Muggles, they didn't wait that long.

As the Healer entered the room, Lia relaxed.

This, she knew she could do. With hard work and a bit of patience, she would be able to help people.

* * *

"You go first," Lorcan told Alice, who nodded.

"You have fun," she replied.

"Living in the depths of the wild? What could be more fun?" Lorcan asked, straight-faced.

"See, this is why a person shouldn't hang around with Aisha," she sighed. "I can't tell if you're being sarcastic. It's just what you'd say…but it sounds like how she'd say it."

"Ambiguity is the weapon of the Somnibulus Brigade," he warned her.

"And incomprehension is the result of a Intellegon in my brain, right?"

"Precisely," he agreed.

Alice shook her head lightly. "Have a great time," she told him, hugging him tightly and kissing his cheek. "Discover something and name it after me, alright?"

With that, she too, entered the Floo, crying out the name of her destination. And as she gracefully disembarked, she smiled in anticipation of the new things she was about to learn. And the new magic that was about to happen.

* * *

Lorcan, the last in the house, pushed a stray chair beneath the table. Resting against a wall for a moment, he surveyed the room, fixing it in his memory. Who knew how long it would be before he next attended a breakfast with his closest friends? And with that thought in mind, he, too Disapparated, his parent's house fixed in his mind as his end-point.

And the kitchen was left, alone, empty, forlorn. As a group of nineteen year old wizards and witches moved on with their lives. Nothing would ever be the same again. Lorcan alone had come closest to realising that it would be many, many years before all eight of them broke bread together once more.

* * *

**Oh, just a little bit of foreshadowing.**

**Chapter title from Us Against The World, Westlife - lots of lyrics that are great for this:**

**You and I, we've been at it so long**  
**But we still got the strongest fire**  
**You and I, we still know how to talk**  
**Know how to walk that wire**

**Sometimes I feel like **  
**The world is against me**  
**The sound of your voice, baby**  
**That's what saves me**  
**When we're together I feel so invincible**

**Cause it's us against the world**  
**You and me against them all**  
**If you listen to these words**  
**Know that we are standing tall**  
**I don't ever see the day that**  
**I won't catch you when you fall**  
**Cause it's us against the world tonight**

**There'll be days**  
**We'll be on different sides but**  
**That doesn't last too long**  
**We find ways to get it on track**  
**And know how to turn back on**

**Sometimes I feel**  
**I can't keep it together**  
**Then you hold me close**  
**And you make it better**  
**When I'm with you**  
**I can feel so unbreakable**

**x**


	52. Out of Place, Like A Gem On A Coal Face

**Thanks for reviewing: anamolly2013, Doni, Marciabarcia, silverbirch, shine lots, Likewow5556, dawnghost, Jasper Lupione, susiipie, TwistedRaver, Arlath's Star, Joelle8, SeekDreamsAndFindHope and Twisted Identity.**

**Okay, forget what I've said before. There are going to be at least eleven moments in this series about after Hogwarts (twelve hopefully, because I'm a fan of using magical numbers). Sorry for inflation.**

* * *

**Chapter 52: Out of Place, Like A Gem On A Coal Face**

**Rose meets the Malfoys - October 2026**

Brushing down the dress robes which Alice had helped her select, Rose had to resist smiling. She'd loved the whole process, no matter how vocally she'd complained. It was usually her, helping Alice with her wardrobe, living vicariously through her friend. Now, it was all about Rose – meeting the Malfoys and their extended family for the first time.

The past two years had passed uneventfully. Lily had graduated from Hogwarts and, with her friends Serafina and Henry, the latter of whom had dropped out of Hogwarts in his third year, had taken a Gap Year, travelling around the Southern Hemisphere. They were likely to meet up with Lorcan while they were there - he was working in Chile with his parents, and had been ever since the October of two years ago. The other seven were still deeply involved in their various training courses, although they tried to find one evening a week where they could all eat together.

They'd begun by rotating who cooked the meal. That had ended quickly after they realised that Rose was calling for a take-away and receiving it through a window, and that Aisha became more stressed about food preparation than she had about her NEWT exams. They went out for dinner if it was Aisha, Rose or Lysander's turn now, since although Lysander could cook, he didn't enjoy it and didn't make meals of even nearly the quality of the other four. Albus was surprisingly good;Lia was unsurprisingly good. Alice and Scorpius, as everyone had known for years, were excellent chefs, and now delighted in competing with each other to make the best meals. Last week, Alice had forgotten about her eternal diet and made possibly the best roast dinner that the eight had tasted, with Yorkshire pudding that had them scraping the last scraps out the pan, just to taste more of it.

Aisha had moved into training to work in Magical Law Enforcement, which split off from Auror training now. Aisha and Albus had also got engaged, although they didn't plan to marry for a while, not until the pair had finished all of their training. The engagement had come about when Aisha had told Albus what everyone, except Albus, had known for years - that she loved him and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Albus had proposed to her a week later.

The betting now was over when the next engagement would be announced, and which out of Rose and Scorpius or Alice and Lia it would be, not whether they would become engaged. Nobody asked the group of twenty year olds whether they liked having the rest of their lives assumed for them.

The fact that Rose was being taken to meet Scorpius' parents, attending Astoria's birthday party, might have suggested that they were soon to follow Albus and Aisha.

Standing at the door, her hand in Scorpius', Rose had to resist turning to him and asking, 'what if they hate me?' The pit of her stomach felt so strange. It was different to the nerves she felt for exams, and to the excitement she felt before a party. It was wholly new, and she was certain that she liked it.

The door opened.

Expecting a House Elf, Rose was surprised to see Astoria. "Scorpius," she said smoothly, kissing him lightly on the cheek and holding him in a brief, casual-seeming hug. But it was soothing, in the familiarity of the movement and of his mother's perfume.

"And you must be Rose," she said, smiling warmly at the girl. "It's wonderful to meet you. We've heard as much about you as Scorpius could trust to paper, I think."

Rose smiled, not entirely sure if that was a compliment.

"Come through," Astoria continued. "Daphne, Theo and Patricia are already here."

Scorpius squeezed her hand, and they followed Astoria out to what could loosely be called a garden – or a park. There were several 'water features', a small forest and a table that literally groaned with the weight of the food.

"I'm going to have to split off now," Scorpius whispered in her ear. He'd warned her about this – the men were expected to socialize in one group, the women in another until dinner, during which the two genders were allowed to mingle. After, the men retired to one room while the women left for another. It was archaic, it was sexist, it was ridiculous. But it was used for formal events among the most pure-blooded families, and so Rose let it happen.

Had it been Astoria's party alone, she wouldn't have wanted it like that. She preferred to spend some time with her husband. But her mother, niece and sister were there too, and she was allowing them to have it the way that they expected.

Astoria walked her over to the group of females. "Rose, this is Narcissa Malfoy, Dorea Greengrass, Daphne Nott..and I believe you know Patricia Nott?"

Rose nodded and smiled politely. Alice would have been impressed at her acting skills, because dislike was coursing through her at the sight of Patricia. The girl was Scorpius' cousin, a Slytherin three years above Rose, Aisha and the others, and a vile piece of work.

She flirted and fluttered her eyelashes like Alice, but only if the boy was rich and pure-blooded. Otherwise, she'd treat them like they were barely scum on the floor. She'd approached Scorpius in his first week with two of her boyfriends, and warned him not to insult his bloodline by hanging out with people like….well, like Rose.

Scorpius, thankfully, had ignored her completely, and there'd presumably been no repercussions, at least none that he'd ever told her. Although he had mentioned that Patricia spied on him, or got other boys to spy on him. A good enough reason to distrust her, in Rose's opinion.

* * *

Rose listened to the women's conversation, feigning interest. The way that other people's minds worked fascinated Lia and Aisha. They were the ones who liked to listen. She was far too quickly bored by it. Glancing at the others surreptitiously, she seemed alone in this. They all bore expressions of polite interest.

'_It's not the only way I don't fit' _she thought. For all her care over her robes, it hadn't worked. Her figure, at least, did. Tall and skinny, from the neck down she could have been one of them. However, her untameable ginger hair, undisguisable wash of freckles and the natural flush of her cheeks instead of the doll-like pallor of their make-up all marked her out.

Scorpius, watching them whenever he could get away with it, was coming to the same conclusion. However, it wasn't a negative. Compared to the other women, Rose just seemed so alive. Her hair was bright and happy next to the dull brunettes and blondes that stood around her. Her red cheeks were one of his favourite things about her. Even if a few of the women she was with really were interesting on the inside, Rose had the liveliness to display it on the outside too.

Wilhelm said something and Scorpius turned back, having found to his surprise that Wilhelm Nott, his….second cousin? The son of his aunt's husband's brother, anyway, was astonishingly good-natured, nothing like one would expect. He'd been Sorted into Hufflepuff, but that wasn't a sign of anything any more.

* * *

"Don't you agree?"

Rose blinked and came back to earth. Astoria seemed to be asking her a question. "I suppose," she said vaguely, hoping the response would be satisfactory.

It seemed to be, because the conversation continued. From the sounds of things, Rose gathered that they were discussing the compulsory amputation of Crups' tails, to make them seem non-magical. Rose must have just agreed that it was sad, but necessary, and that as long as the animals didn't suffer, acceptable.

"Well, it just always seemed such a Muggleborn thing to do. Always concerned with hiding who we are for no good reason and absolutely typical of this Ministry," Patricia sighed, before turning to Rose, an entirely fake expression of surprise and apology on her face. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean any offence to your mother," she sighed.

Rose barely batted an eyelid. The remark was so _petty_. From the looks on the faces of the women around her, it wasn't approved of either.

She felt an odd surge of disappointment. _'This is what I've been waiting for?' _she wondered. _'This is the Romeo and Juliet scene which I've anticipated?'_

Her thoughts continued, as the conversation carried on its way. _'Why am I disappointed that it was so feeble_? _Surely I didn't want there to be an argument?' _But she searched and discovered the truth. It was such a shock that she stumbled backwards.

_All this time….I thought I loved Scorpius. Did I just love the idea? How can that be? Is that when I thought love would strike me, when a brave Gryffindor stood up for me against the darkness.'_

Concerned faces turned to her – she saw them - placid, refined. _Is this where I'll end up, if we stay together, _she wondered. All of a sudden, she knew she had to get out. And then she felt her heart shatter as she realised what she meant. _'Get out of here….get out of this relationship. I don't love him. There isn't a future. It's all been a lie, my mind tricking me.'_

Mumbling an apology, she turned and fled. Tripping on a paving stone, she stumbled, her glass going flying and shattering on the floor. She didn't stop, didn't turn as calls cried out to her, as Scorpius shouted her name. His voice broke the dam, as she realised that she'd lost everything that she thought she had – her boyfriend, her husband-to-be, her future love. The castles she'd built in the air tumbled around her, and tears began to trickle down her face as she reached the edge of the Malfoy property. With great relief, she Apparated away.

"Rose!" his voice chimed with the crack of her Apparition. Still running, he skidded to a halt where she had just vanished.

"What did you say?" he demanded, glaring at the women with whom she had been standing. Propriety had demanded that he leave her with the women, but he'd expected his mother and grandmother to protect her from anything too terrible. Clearly, he'd been wrong. His glare mainly focused on his cousin, of course. Patricia had been brought up in the ways of 'true pure-bloods' – by prejudiced fools, in his mother's terms. Namely his aunt Daphne and her husband Theo.

"Nothing, Scorpius. Nobody did. She was just standing silently for at least fifteen minutes before she just suddenly seemed like she'd been slapped." Astoria said truthfully.

"There must have been something," he muttered, but didn't bother to press the point. What would he do, even if he had – he could hardly yell at any of the women, even ones like Patricia bloody Nott and it wouldn't help Rose.

"Don't Apparate in that state," his father warned. "If you can't concentrate, you'll Splinch yourself. How much wine have you had?"

"I don't care!" he snapped, and before they could interrupt, had spun on the spot and Disapparated.

He appeared, tumbling to the floor. Glancing around, he didn't recognize his surroundings. He checked himself over, though – no injuries, which was lucky. Draco had been right – Apparating in this condition was an incredibly stupid thing to do, especially when he hadn't been certain of his destination.

It was a dark alley, where he'd ended up. Not the sort of place you'd choose to go alone, unless there was business you couldn't conduct in the public eye.

He staggered to his feet and to the entrance to the alleyway. With some relief, he realised that he vaguely knew the buildings – he was at least in the vicinity of one of the places where Rose might have gone.

"Point there," he muttered, holding his wand unobtrusively on his palm and concentrating on the address he needed. It spun and pointed back down the alleyway. Heedless of the danger, he turned and headed back down into the dark.

At last, he reached his destination. The front door was just closing, presumably after somebody else. A quick wand motion held it until he could enter and head straight up the stairs.

He pounded desperately on the door of the flat that Rose and Alice shared. Rose must have come here – he thoroughly hoped that she had. The only other option was her parents' home and, Gryffindor though he was, he lacked the bravery to march up to the Weasleys' house to face a Ron Weasley who had just received a crying daughter.

The door opened a fraction and Alice's face appeared in the gap. The expression on her face told him that his guess had been correct. Rose was here.

"Scorpius," she said, no surprise in her voice. Admittedly, he couldn't quite decipher precisely what her body language or her tone was saying – he'd expected fury, yet could only find resigned sadness – but didn't waste time in trying to work it out. He jammed his foot in the gap.

"Let me in, Alice," he said urgently. "She's upset, I know, but I don't know why! I have to help her."

"Always helping the damsel in distress," she said flippantly, but her heart wasn't in it. "Why should I let you in? From what I can tell, you caused this."

"I don't know how I did!" He cried. "Please, Alice."

She cast a glance over her shoulder. "I'm her friend before I'm yours," she said softly. "I have to be."

"Please," he begged. The anger he had felt at his parents' house was all gone, replaced by a terror that he couldn't name. "Please."

Indecision was written across Alice's features, but she began to close the door all the same. "Move your foot," she sighed.

"Wait! What if nobody had let you in to the Hufflepuff dorm?" He asked. She froze. Sensing his advantage, he pressed on. "That was best for Lia as well as you. This is best for Rose, too."

"_Nobody did let me into the Hufflepuff dorm. And __I don't know if that was best for Lia," _Alice thought, remembering that horrible day so soon after NEWTs when she'd done a terrible thing. None of their friends knew the details of the girls' reconciliation – they'd only realized when Alice, no longer caring for propriety, had camped outside the Hufflepuff common room, and then the girls' dormitory until Lia had spoken to her.

But the idea had had its effect, and she widened the door. Thanking her, Scorpius burst through.

Lia and Rose were sat on the couch, Lia's arm around her shoulders as the red-head sobbed into a cushion. Both ignored the crumpling of their expensive dress robes.

It took some time before Rose would even face him, but when she did, he didn't know what to say.

Finally, she spoke first. "I think….I don't think…:"

"That's impossible, he joked. "You, not thinking."

The joke didn't help – she burst into renewed floods of tears. He couldn't help but feel at a loss – he'd never, ever seen Rose cry before. He'd never really dealt with crying girls. His ex-girlfriend hadn't been the type, nor were any of his family. When he offered this excuse, however, it only caused her to cry harder.

"My family?" he suddenly remembered. "How did they upset you?"

"N-nothing" she hiccoughed. "It was just the whole thing….that's you, Scorpius. It's not me. It's not us. And I can't make it me."

"What do you mean? Fancy parties aren't us? I know that, I do. My parents have informal moments too, you know."

She shook her head, her tears drying now. "I know, but that's not it. I realised, when I was there. That isn't what I want. You aren't what I want."

He gaped, lost for words. "But…" he said helplessly.

"I only kissed you because you were there, because you were my friend. I only want to be friends, Scorpius. I can't have someone like that for a boyfriend. There's no passion, no fire."

"No passion? No fire?" he repeated. Hurt, he stood. "I can show you that!" He protested.

She sighed. "It's been comfortable. It's been…nice. But that's it."

"Because I was there?" he asked helplessly.

"Because you were there, and because of who you were too. A Malfoy. If I couldn't have passion with someone who must be so wrong for me, where could I find it?"

"You only dated me because of who my family was." This was the final straw. Through all of his life, people had seen him only as a Malfoy, and he was sick of it.

"Fine!" he snapped. The thwarted anger from before rose up, and he turned away. "Thanks for your time, then. Hope you find some _passion._"

"You too," she said earnestly. That broke him completely, and he strode towards the door before he could let out a hysterical sob, slamming it behind him.

In the silence that followed, Alice and Lia stared helplessly at Rose, whose face held only determination now.

"Are you sure?" Alice asked finally.

Rose nodded. "I realized when his cousins were being mean to me. I kissed him because I liked the drama, I liked the secrecy of the forbidden love. But it wasn't love."

"You liked the drama?" Alice repeated, not voicing what she was thinking – that drama wasn't really Rose's style.

Rose, however, understood.

"I know that people don't think I can be dramatic. That I'm just a boring geek. But I want drama, I want to be swept off my feet. I want the thunderbolt to strike." She yawned. "But I want it tomorrow. Night."

With that abrupt exit, she went to her room. Alice collapsed on the sofa next to Lia.

"Do you think she's making a mistake?" she asked quietly.

Lia looked sadly at Rose's closed door. "Maybe. Maybe Scorpius wasn't right for her. But she's wrong. Love isn't always drama and thunderbolts. That's not the only place that it comes from. Maybe it's not right to do the friendship route first, maybe that's just the easy way out. But love can be a comfortable silence together. It's a night spent on the sofa. It can be a sudden realization, or dawn on you gradually. But it can come from anywhere."

Alice sighed. "I know. But she's read so many books, and heard so many stories about the heroes of the war. And that's not what she expects. She expects a kiss and then everything falling into place. Rose never was the most emotionally intelligent of us all. Of course, she might be right. Her and Scorpius…..they might be the obvious couple, but sometimes the obvious is wrong."

"Like us, for example." Lia smiled, but it didn't last long. "Oh, but it's going to be so awkward, for everyone."

"There's an understatement," Alice agreed.

Lia frowned. "Do you think that she might be…." She didn't want to finish the sentence

"Creating drama for the sake of it? Rejecting Scorpius because it's become prosaic, and mundane? Chasing an idea that doesn't exist?"

"All of the above," Lia murmured, amused that Alice had read her mind.

Alice sighed. "The course of true love ne'er did run smooth," she quoted sadly.

Lia frowned at her. "What's that from?"

"One of Shakespeare's plays," Alice replied. Seeing Lia's continued incomprehension, she continued. "Oh that's right, you've never read Shakespeare! Hogwarts really should teach it - I only know because my Great-Nan had all of the plays as books in her house." She grinned, her eyes shining with the light they always had when she got the chance to share knowledge, her most Ravenclaw trait and something her friends recognised from years of having Alice's help in exam tutoring and homework. "It was someone called Lysander who said that."

"Are his plays good?" Lia asked, knowing the answer she expected.

"Of course! We can go see some soon, as plays...I can't wait to watch them with you. It would make up for tonight's date being cancelled," she sighed.

Lia folded her hand into Alice's and rested her head on her girlfriend's shoulder. "We can just stay in tonight," she smiled.

* * *

**Do you hold out hope for Scorpius and Rose in the end? Do you think that she was just getting scared about how everyone was assuming that Scorpius was the man she was going to spend the rest of her life, a century or so, with?**

**Please review! I want to get to 500 reviews soon...**

**x**


	53. I Know I Can Handle This

**Thanks for reviewing: Joelle8, Likewow5556, silverbirch, Doni, Marciabarcia, TwistedRaver, Twisted Identity, SeekDreamsAndFindHope, dawnghost, ModernDayRapunzel, NUDGELOVER, anamolly2013, sylphides, shine lots, Arlath's Star and susiipie.**

**Not a happy chapter. Warnings: homophobia, implied attempts at rape. Can't cope, please don't read.**

**Happy ending, sort of. **

**And lots of conflicted opinions on the last chapter! :D A bit of a skip in time now - this is four years after the last chapter. But a quick update - sorry, but I'm taking the opportunity to write when I can.**

* * *

**Chapter 53: I Know I Can Handle This**

**An Unhappy Ending To A Lovely Meal - September 2030**

"Interview begun. 1.14PM. Present are PC Davidson and PC Cooper. Now, Miss Longbottom. Where were you on the night of the 17th?"

Alice shivered. She was cold. She was always cold. It had once been a ploy, to get boys to wrap their arms around her, to make herself seem fragile. Now it was no act. Lysander, sat next to her, rubbed his thumb on her hand below the table. Above the table, it was far too risky. They didn't want the Muggle policemen knowing how close she was to the lawyer she had called.

"We'd gone out to a restaurant," she began, a distracted smile flickering across her lips.

"We?" the male police officer, PC Davidson, pressed.

"My girlfriend and I." Alice met his stare with a challenging one of her own. If he made any comment….but he didn't.

He nodded professionally. "Her name?"

"Why do you want to know?" Alice said suspiciously.

"It's just a precaution, in case we need her to check some times or anything," PC Cooper added soothingly. Lysander gave a slight incline of his head which others might have missed, but Alice saw and accepted his authority.

"Amelia Creevey." she said.

And just like that, she was back in her memory of the event. It had been a celebration – Lia, having finally finished her training, had just been offered a permanent position as a Healer at St. Mungo's. She was the last of the eight to finish training. Lysander and Rose had graduated from university years ago. Rose had stayed on at the university to do research, whilst Lysander had done something very rare. He had learned to be a Muggle lawyer, and now dealt primarily with Muggle cases, along with acting on behalf of Muggle victims of wizarding crimes. Aisha had begun work as a Magical Law Enforcement officer; Albus and Scorpius had started as Aurors.

Despite their training finishing two years ago and their engagement being four years ago, Aisha and Albus had only just set the date for their wedding - November of this year. Alice had qualified as a Potions Mistress two years ago, and had joined the old man in producing and refining potions for sale. She was feeling restless, however. She loved Potions, but the prospect of simply making them for the rest of her life didn't sound enticing.

Alice and Lia had gone out to a little Muggle restaurant, just around the corner from the flat they'd got together. Albus and Aisha still lived in the house they had once rented as a four, but they were the only ones, as Scorpius had followed Lia in moving out in order to give them some privacy. He shared a flat with another Auror from his team now, a man who had been in the year below them at Hogwarts.

Lysander rented a flat of his own in London, and Rose lived in a tiny bungalow on the outskirts of Cambridge. Lily had returned from her Gap Year and begun a course at York University in Magizoology. She lived with her Hogwarts friend, Serafina, but that accommodation was looking decidedly non-permanent, as her room-mate was clearly falling in love with Henry, their old friend, and it was only a matter of time before their engagement.

With it being September, the sun was quite dim now, at ten o'clock in the evening. Lia had only just finished work, so they were dining relatively late. It had been months since they had last had a meal in a restaurant together, though. Lia's exams for qualifying as a Healer were difficult, and revision had taken up most of their time.

They saw the other six less, too. Their weekly dinners together still took place, but they were every other week now, and it was rare that they were all together. If Scorpius wasn't working, Albus probably was, and if Scorpius was going, you also wouldn't have Rose. Occasionally both of them were at a meal, but it always resulted in awkward silences after they forgot that they were no longer together and begun to bicker and banter as they always had done. Lorcan returned to the country only sporadically and always without warning, sleeping on any of his friend's couches before vanishing again.

Going out as just a couple was an even rarer occurrence, so it felt like such an indulgence when it did take place.

Tonight, the entire meal had passed in a haze of delicious food, good wine and wonderful conversation. Lia, her hair loose around her shoulders, looked especially beautiful. Her blue eyes were glowing, her cheeks were flushed. Her lips were swollen from the number of times Alice had kissed her.

They'd joked that they might as well have ordered the same meal. They'd shared the taste well enough.

Alice's blonde curls were pinned behind her head in an elaborate confection that left one ringlet free for Lia to twirl in her fingers.

Alice grabbed her fingers and kissed Lia's hand in an exaggerated gesture. Lia gazed down at it in mock-horror.

"Alice Longbottom kissing something without leaving a lipstick mark? What is the world coming to?"

Laughing, Alice rose to her feet. "I'd better correct that error," she sighed. "It's practically like going out naked."

"You're more likely to do that than go out without make-up," Lia smirked.

Alice fluttered her eyelashes. "Moi?" she asked innocently, and headed for the bathroom, her high heels clicking on the floor.

Lia watched, not at all jealous, as her girlfriend's gorgeous figure, clad in a scarlet dress, drew the eyes of many of the other patrons in the restaurant.

As Alice entered the toilet, she noticed someone hurrying out of the emergency door on the other side, dropping their handbag behind them.

"Excuse me," she called, hastening after them and picking it up. "I think you've forgotten something."

After so many years, the purr was in her voice naturally, whether she liked it or not.

"Hello?" she stepped through the door, looking around for the woman who'd left the bag. "Do you not want your bag?" The door led outside, onto a little porch where the staff no doubt came to smoke. She noticed the bins stacked up against the walls, and the railings that lined the porch. She took another step, so she was at the top of the concrete steps that led down to ground level. It was almost midnight now, and the night had become cloudy, making it surprisingly dark.

WHAM.

The impact forced her to stagger backwards, slamming her into one of the iron railings.

"Filthy slag," a man's voice growled, and something hit her in the stomach. Letting out a gasp of air, she slid to the floor.

Through blurred vision she could make out two dark figures. One of them moved their foot sharply, and it made contact on her lip. Her head slammed backwards and hit the metal of the fence, the clip she'd used to secure her hair only worsening the sharp pain she felt.

More shouted insults followed, as she tried to regain her grasp on her surroundings, which seemed to be whirling in a dizzy mix of light and colour.

She didn't bother to try get to her feet. Instead, she groped for her handbag.

"I'm gonna show you what it's like to do a man. That way you'll know what's right."

The clasp had flown open when she'd dropped it, although she could no more have said when that was than she could have flown to the moon.

Ignoring their gloating, she dragged herself backwards, forcing herself into a sitting position. The effort made her head spin, and she let out a sob of pain.

One of the men laughed, the sound harsh and grating.

Her searching hand felt exactly what it had been looking for.

"_Stupefy_!" she cried, terror and pain giving the hex an extra force.

A jet of red light sank itself into the chest of one of the men, and he collapsed. His partner stared at his fallen friend, then back at Alice. "Wha-?" he managed, before he, too, was felled by her magic.

"_Lumos_," Alice gritted, reaching one hand to the railing and hauling herself to her feet. She staggered and nearly fell again, tottering on her heels as though it was the first time she'd ever worn them.

The light illuminated the faces of her attackers, but she didn't know them. Neither had been the woman she'd followed through the door. Had she been bait?

Alice didn't really care. Normally, vengeance was her style. Right now, sleep seemed to be the best option.

She pulled the clip from her hair and touched her wand to the jewelled design set into it. "_Medio_," she whispered.

Inside the restaurant, Lia felt her ring burn. She held it to her mouth. "Alice?" she whispered, making sure that her mouth was hidden with her hand.

The system was similar to that of Muggle communications. It wasn't as good as a mobile phone, since they could only be communicators between two people, but they retained their signal inside places like St. Mungo's and Diagon Alley.

"Meet me on the main street. Don't leave anything behind."

Frowning, Lia got to her feet. She left enough Muggle money on the table to more than cover any reasonable bill, plus a very generous tip, and left.

She saw Alice, leaning against the wall of the building.

"Why did we have to leave like that?" she asked, vaguely irritated. "It's a bit rude."

Then the lights of a passing car illuminated Alice's face, and she gasped.

"You're bleeding!"

"Am I?" The statement was slightly surprised, and Alice reached up a hand to touch her lip. "Not very much."

"Not just from your lip," Lia scolded, lifting a hand to the roots of Alice's beautiful hair. It came away red with blood.

"How did that happen?"

For the first time, Lia noticed that Alice was carrying her shoes, not wearing them. Her hair was out of its style, and messily piled on her back.

Alice swayed as she stood upright. "Can we talk about it when we get home?"

Lia frowned. "You're not walking anywhere," she said firmly.

"Lia…"

"No. I'll Apparate you."

Alice sighed. She hated Side-Along Apparition, but she had to agree with Lia. She probably wasn't in any state to Apparate herself.

"To the flat?"

"As a first stop." Lia refused to say if it would be their only stop until she'd properly examined her girlfriend, and decided if she needed a trip to St. Mungo's.

Lia Apparated as gently as she could, Alice wrapped tightly in her arms. But the motion still caused Alice to groan aloud as they arrived. Lia forced Alice down onto the sofa. She brushed her hair out of her face.

"Well?"

Alice sighed, and related the whole story, as Lia did various magical scans.

"You don't have concussion," Lia said, finishing her scan. "Now stop talking."

Alice tried to smile flirtatiously at her, but the movement hurt her lip. With a tap of her wand, Lia healed the cut. She lifted her wand to the top of Alice's head, where there was another scrape, no doubt from the iron railing. She healed that too, after first Scourgifying the wound to keep it clean. She looked at Alice's eye, where a bruise was already developing.

Bruises were one of the few things that couldn't be Healed by magic. She could knit wounds together, fuse broken bones. But she couldn't Heal this or prevent the ugly colouring that would soon sprawl around Alice's eye.

"Thanks," Alice said, trying to stand up so that she could wash the blood from her face, but Lia pulled her back down.

"Are you going to report this?"

"To Magical Law Enforcement? I don't think that they'll arrest me for using magic in front of Muggles, it was necessary. And I don't really want them Obliviated. Maybe the experience will give them pause if they think about attacking a helpless woman again."

"Helpless?" Lia snorted, amused, but the amusement died from her face pretty quickly. "You could have been, though. If you'd left your bag, with your wand, at the table…"

"Left my bag at the table? But I need my make-up and hairbrush with me at all times!"

The joke fell flat when the front of Alice's blonde hair was red and matted with blood.

"I meant that you should report it to the Muggle police. They might be able to catch them from DNA evidence. At least there'll be a record of it."

A short argument followed, which Lia won, in large part because Alice didn't know what DNA evidence was, and wasn't in much of a state to fight.

That was how Alice had ended up here, with Lysander. She thanked her lucky stars that one of her closest friend had decided to go into Muggle Law rather than Magical, as Lysander had.

She still didn't like reporting it. It felt like she was back at school and being a tattletale. And telling her friends that she'd been attacked was terrifying and satisfying. The sheer level of anger, love and protectiveness in their eyes was deeply touching.

PC Davidson frowned slightly. "How did you get away?"

She'd just reached the point where, in real life, she'd drawn her wand.

"I sprayed perfume in their eyes." She smiled slightly, and the female officer gave a chuckle of appreciation.

* * *

There was no conviction. Despite her evidence, the men were not caught. There were fingerprints on the exit from the toilets, but they didn't match anything in the database.

In a slight way, she was relieved. If the police had found those who had done it, then she would have feared for their safety.

Not very much, of course. She found that her conscience wasn't strong enough to allow her to really care if those men got hurt, as long as her friends weren't hurt by their actions.

But with Aisha's wishes for a political career, and Lysander's life in the Muggle world, any sort of activity could be very harmful if they were caught.

* * *

**Chapter title from I Can't Break Down.**

**Anyone who notices the brief Torchwood reference, kudos.**

**And I promise, they're not all this excessively dramatic. **

**x**


	54. Listen To My Heart, Can You Hear It Sing

**Thanks for reviewing: SeekDreamsAndFindHope, TwistedRaver, silverbirch, Doni, Joelle8, susiipie, Arlath's Star, anamolly2013, shine lots, Marciabarcia, dawnghost, Likewow5556 and The Tester.**

**Sorry for not showing the engagement, but I did describe it a few chapters ago. **

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**Chapter 54: Listen To My Heart, Can You Hear It Sing**

**A Wedding - November 2030**

Aisha stared at the most important women who would be attending her wedding. _'I know that they're not supposed to outshine the bride, but they're taking it a little too far.' _She thought disapprovingly.

'_Lia and Aisha all cuddled up in that corner…..I've always thought that Lia had a pretty sort of delicacy but now she just looks so _tired_. Normally she's tanned and has that 'internal glow' that no doubt comes from being a nice person. Not that I blame her.'_

Only a week ago, Lia had lost her grandfather – her father's father. That was better than losing the grandfather on her mother's side, to whom she was far closer, but unfortunate secrets had come out, which had been upsetting to all involved.

Apparently, it hadn't been for lack of time that Lia hadn't seen them since beginning at Hogwarts. Nor had the Christmas presents which had arrived annually until Lia's coming-of-age been genuine.

Mr and Mrs Creevey had taken the loss of their eldest son very hard – and blamed it entirely on the wizarding world. They'd wanted Dennis to distance himself from that world, and thought they'd succeeded when he married a Muggle, even though he still worked as a Healer in a wizarding hospital. But when he'd taken the decision to send his only daughter, their only grandchild, into the place which had robbed Colin of his life, they'd cut any remaining strings.

All of the pleading, the explanations that the war was over now, the assurances that Lia would be far safer learning to use her magic than risking a dangerous back-up as she grew older were to no avail. They had stated that they'd rather lose her now, before they got to know her any further, instead of losing her in five or so years.

Dennis had never told Lia, although he had told his wife (who'd made some considerable effort to hide her anger at her parents-in-law). And so Lia had arrived at a funeral, cutting short a well-earned holiday with Alice, her first in the two years since qualifying as a Healer, mourning a death whilst eagerly anticipating meeting the woman to whom she'd sent many letters. Only to discover brimming hatred and rejection.

Her father was there, although he'd Disillusioned himself to minimise conflict in front of other mourners. Neither had been sent an invite – Lia had been told of the death by a friend, who had recognised the name Creevey in Muggle obituaries, and had assumed her letter waiting for her at home.

Alice had gone with her, which really hadn't helped. Lia had got far enough to introduce her before Mrs Creevey had launched into her tirade, only adding fuel to the fire. She recognised the name Longbottom – Colin had talked often of his parents, and Neville had gone to the Creeveys' home to express his personal grief, and gratitude for how much Colin had sacrificed. The door had been slammed in his face, as Mrs Creevey's rant revealed.

It was the last thing that they had needed in an already eventful year. To their amusement, Alice's youngest sister had begun at Hogwarts and been Sorted into Slytherin, meaning that each of Neville's four children had gone to a different House, with only Toby, his third, going to Gryffindor. Alice had never known Sarah that well – she'd been born in the same year as Alice left for Hogwarts for the first time, but she wondered if the two of them would have had common ground which she'd never shared with her parents or her brothers.

Then Lia had been offered a full time position as a Healer at St. Mungo's. The couple had gone out to a Muggle restaurant to celebrate – and Alice had been beaten up and nearly assaulted by homophobic thugs who had never been caught. The holiday that followed had been necessary for both to recover. Lia had healed Alice's cuts, and Alice had hidden the bruises straightaway, but it didn't mean that they hadn't been shaken. So having the holiday interrupted by unpleasantness of the funeral had not been so good.

Rose had a very different excuse. Aisha thought she could probably guess what was ailing her, and she did look ill. Always skinny, having inherited her father's gangly frame, she had lost pounds which she could ill afford, and was now almost gaunt.

'_I wish we could have avoided having them here together, but she's one of my best friends, and Al's cousin, and Scorpius is Al's best man, not to mention also my best friend. We needed them both at our wedding – and both of them insist that they stayed friends after they broke up. Ha!'_

As a couple who had once double-dated with Rose and Scorpius, Albus and Aisha had been subjected first-hand to the parade of partners which both had moved along. They'd only met a few – some, as both later admitted, would have been too shaming to introduce. A few had even attended the once-weekly dinners, now occurring only every other week. In the admittedly biased opinion of Scorpius and Rose's friends, none of them fit together as well as Scorpius and Rose had.

Rose had tried every sort of man in the guide; the man who would be properly awed at her brains, and would treat her with abject adoration, but couldn't offer any sort of stimulating conversation if he'd been paid to. The man who would have her in fits of hysterics, but wouldn't even pause for breath in case she wanted to interject something. The man who was so stunningly handsome that he took your breath away, but refused to debate on any sort of philosophical matter, Rose's lifeblood, as it was unseemly to be seen arguing. The list was endless.

Scorpius, on the other hand, seemed stuck in a cycle he had begun at Hogwarts. Girls who fawned over his tales of Auror life, who would shriek and hug him at the slightest provocation, who looked at him with doe eyes of sweetness.

They were both hopeless. And both insisted they were happy.

Break-ups tended to occur for a variety of reasons. She was too obsessed with work; he refused to commit. She was too much of a nag; he was too involved with his friends.

Her sisters weren't present in this room of her bridesmaids, though they would attend her wedding. Aisha, as always, felt a pang of regret at how far they had grown apart. All of them were married now, and she'd danced at their weddings. But she'd admired their beauty as they took their vows as though they were strangers. Their life seemed alien to her, and hers – although two of her three siblings still knew nothing of magic – was as foreign to them.

Her family hadn't helped arrange this wedding either. Her mother wouldn't have been able to bear it. The traditional Muslim wedding she ought to have had had been mixed with wizarding customs she'd picked up, and modified for the majority of non-Muslim guests who would be present.

The door banged open, and Lily walked in. Not hesitantly, as she'd used to do in her years at Hogwarts, fearing to intrude. No, she entered with a glow of happiness. She'd matured the most since leaving Hogwarts. She'd never been as truly happy there as any of the eight had been, even Alice with all her pretence or Rose with her enforced studiousness. Maybe Lorcan, like Lily, hadn't been happy – who could tell? – but Lily had certainly not been as proficient at hiding her longing for a place where she belonged.

She'd found it in her time at university, apparently, her course in Magizoology both mentally taxing enough for a girl with her stellar grades and fascinating enough for someone with her short attention span.

"What's the good news?" Lia asked, seeing the extra delight in Lily's eyes and the bounce in her step.

"Can't I just be happy for Aisha?" she asked, spinning dizzily on the spot.

"Not _that _happy," Aisha remarked dryly. To be fair, Lily was like this – on top of the world one moment, for no discernible reason, then snappish and irritable the next. But this was an extreme – she was a Slytherin, after all, and her emotions tended to be slightly more discreet.

"I got a job!" she cried, clearly unable to wait any longer.

Explanations followed congratulations, and they discovered that she'd taken a job at the Daily Prophet, which bewildered everyone.

"Well, I was just sick of reading newspapers and constantly finding that it was wrong, or misrepresented. Especially MagiSci, especially now that I knew better. Research like yours, Rose. It deserves more than exaggeration to a ridiculous degree. So, here I am!" She sighed. "Although it'll take some getting used to, writing in that sort of style. I guess it'll have to be really dumbed down, otherwise the morons who read that rag won't get it at all."

The continued scathing description of the ignorance of the wide population was a lot more characteristic of Lily.

"That 'rag' now employs all of the females in the Potter family," Rose pointed out.

"Not for long," Alice reminded them. "Soon there'll be a female employee of the MLE."

"Speaking of which, why is nobody dressed?" Lily demanded. "I thought I was late. Honestly, Alice, Rose, what were you thinking?"

"And the reason that you didn't ask me, at _my _wedding….." Aisha asked.

"You have to ask?" Alice teased. "Seriously, I'm obviously the fashion adviser here. And Rose is the one who's always ever so organised."

"Um, Lia is the one who's always perfectly punctual," Rose argued, not even bothering to challenge the assumption that she'd organise Aisha's wedding for her.

Despite all of the delays that a group of girls could inspire, Aisha was ready to go at the appropriate time. Rather than being followed by a legion of bridesmaids, as at many wizarding weddings, she would only have Lia – having at least one was a necessity, given the fact that they'd known Albus and Scorpius would be each other's best men for a decade now.

After the ceremony, the girls would return to properly dress her up, although they had already painted the henna on her hands and arms. She'd relied on Alice's artistic talents for that - although her sisters were more experienced, it was her friends who she had wanted to do this for her.

It was well worth the effort to see Al's eyes, as he watched her walk towards him, a vision in a Gryffindor red sari.

This was counter to tradition, to agree to the marriage together, in front of all of these witnesses, rather than separately in their rooms, but Aisha knew that her friends wanted to see this moment, even if she, who had never been fond of public displays of her affection, personally felt embarrassed by the weight of the stares, and cringed at what her mother might think.

The celebration afterwards was, of course, as elaborate as one might expect when Molly Weasley is allowed anywhere near the preparations. The food was delicious and as varied as the guests – who had been severely and repeatedly warned to be careful before using magic – could have hoped, even those who had eaten the House-Elf cuisine provided at Hogwarts, which had branched out considerably into more modern fare in recent years.

None of these were the moments which Aisha would carry forever, though. She'd remember most of it – the laughter, dancing and music as they'd celebrated the night before as they painted on her henna, the ceremony of the moment after their wedding meal when they were brought over to be officially sat together, stepping across the threshold of the house which she and Albus had long shared. But the memory she would cherish most was waking up the next morning and feeling the weight of a ring for the first time on her ring finger (having never worn an engagement ring).

As a reminder that it wasn't a dream, it was unbeatable.

* * *

**CHapter title from Come What May, Moulin Rouge. **

**:D. I wrote a happy chapter again! Can you believe it!**

**MagiSci is an abbreviation for Magical Sciences**

**x**


	55. You're Standing At My Door

**Thanks for reviewing: susiipie, SeekDreamsAndFindHope, shine lots, Arlath's Star, sylphides, anamolly2013, Joelle8, silverbirch, Likewow5556, TwistedRaver, Doni, Marciabarcia and ModernDayRapunzel.**

**This follows on from the same night as Aisha and Al's wedding.**

* * *

**Chapter 55: Guess This Means You're Sorry, You're Standing At My Door**

**A Late Night Visitor - November 2030**

A knock sounded on the door and Scorpius yawned. He'd had little sleep the previous night, as was expected on the night before your best friend got married. Still dressed in a Muggle tuxedo, although with his smart bow tie undone and hanging loose at his neck, he pulled it open.

And stared, because it was Rose on the other side.

His first thought couldn't be stopped. '_She looks terrible.'_

In the years since Hogwarts, they had all changed a little. Aisha had gained a sophistication, and her natural elegance was clearer both when she swept along in flowing robes or crisp Muggle business suits. Lia had gained an authority from her training as a Healer, maturing the innocent girl into a kind-hearted woman. Alice had gained a sincerity that she had lacked throughout her flirtatious Hogwarts years and her allure was less direct than before. Even the few years that had passed had given her time for her face to become less round and the look suited her well.

Life experience had shaped the tomboy that Rose had been into a woman, and lightened her insistence on routine. But her recent weight loss had lost the few curves that she had. Overwork put shadows under her eyes that she'd never learned the charms to disguise.

* * *

When Scorpius opened the door, Rose's breath caught in her throat. She'd had a few drinks – else she'd never have had the courage to make it up here – but she had somehow never thought it through to this next part, strange for a woman who never left the house without a fully planned itinerary.

Her first thought couldn't be stopped. '_He looks terrible.'_

Albus had beamed with joy throughout his entire wedding ceremony today, and the muscles he'd put on through Auror training had broadened an overly scrawny shape. Lorcan had refreshed his tan during his travels with his parents and his gaze, which as a teenager had jumped around, looking through you or distantly into the empty space by turns, had gained a calm intensity that was magnetic. Lysander still wore his charming smile, but it had warmth behind it now rather than just sheen, and the blonde hairs on his chin which he'd attempted to grow throughout seventh year, had at last matured into a full beard, giving him a maturity he'd lacked.

Quidditch had always given Scorpius muscles, and a tan, and a smile which transformed his face and made one forget his pointed chin. But his eyes now lacked the passion they'd once burned with, when playing chess or bantering happily and though he still smiled, it didn't give him the same glow. Constantly proving and reproving his worth, all because of his family name, had added distrust to his features and it didn't sit well.

In the absence of anything else to do, Rose crossed the threshold of his room in one bound and kissed him.

It was a strange replay of their first kiss, but with roles reversed. Then, young and with no lack of energy or innocence, it had been Scorpius kissing Rose as she left the changing room after a Quidditch match. Now the kiss still had energy, but it had sorrow in it too.

After a few seconds they disengaged, staring at each other in silence once more.

Slowly, very slowly, Scorpius shut the door behind Rose.

"Why are you here?" he asked at last, his voice sounding odd even to his own ears.

"Because I'm sorry," she whispered.

The words took him by surprise. He'd never, ever, known Rose admit she was sorry. Lysander and Alice had said the words as easily as most people said 'Good morning', with about as much sincerity. Albus and Lorcan, clumsy by nature, often had the need to say it when they bowled into someone. Lia and Aisha rarely had to admit fault to anything. They said 'I'm sorry' to give sympathy, not to apologise.

But Rose hated to admit being wrong. She would go to extreme lengths to prove herself right rather than allow someone else the victory.

Rushing on, although Rose had never rushed into anything in her life, she continued. "I was so, so stupid to break up with you. What I wanted – I didn't know, I mean, I….I didn't understand, I…I was young, I didn't like how everyone was assuming,..I….I….I…."

She was stammering, faltering. His Rose, always so sure of herself, bossy, organising, Rose, who had so little emotional intelligence but pushed on regardless.

And he kissed her, and it was familiar. She didn't gasp, nor pant breathily as they separated, like the girls he had dated since her had.

And she kissed him, and it was familiar. He didn't retreat, unsure of himself, nor grab, too sure of her, like the boys she had dated since him had.

And when they kissed again, there was energy still, but now there was hope instead of sorrow.

"You were right," he told her. She blinked in surprise at the words that she'd heard often.

"About us?" she asked, concerned and confused.

Scorpius shook his head. "About other things. About society. Yes, we'll never fit into those stupid pure-blood traditions, and my mother's family, not to mention my grandfather Malfoy will never accept you. But they don't matter. You never have to see them again - I certainly won't mind not seeing them again."

"But they're your family."

"Not in the sense that you mean. They're related to me, but that's it. Marry me, Rose."

"What? How can you ask me to marry you? After I was so awful, and I just acted so childishly."

"You were young. Thinking back on it, I've been mean to people too. Letting Branwen think I cheated on her, back in Hogwarts. That wasn't fair to her or to you girls."

"You're awfully good at forgiving people."

"I've had an awful lot of practice," he said darkly, and she knew that he was referring to the efforts it had taken him to forgive his grandfather for his bigoted views, and more importantly his father, whom he loved, for his weakness in following the Dark Lord and his cowardice in not standing up against them. He'd had to forgive them anew many times, from when his parents first told him, when he first went to Hogwarts, when they studied the War in third year and every time since that his surname had been used against him. Yes, Scorpius was good at forgiving people.

He met her gaze with an earnest one of his own. "Marry me. Then you're my family. I don't need any other family but you."

"You'd leave them...for me?"

"Of course I would. I thought you were intelligent!"

She smacked him on the shoulder. "I am intelligent," she retorted. "And..I won't follow their rules. I won't go to their parties, and be segregated from you. I won't pretend I don't think something because it doesn't agree with their opinions. But you don't have to never see them again. They can visit us, if they work by our rules."

Scorpius smiled. "Boldness like that, why weren't you a Gryffindor?"

"Because Ravenclaw is better," she told him succintly. "But I'm bold enough to enlighten some old-fashioned fools to modern ways. If they don't like it, they don't have to see us. They can come to our wedding, and -"

"Come to our wedding? Rose, is that a yes?"

"I guess so," she muttered, looking down.

"What happened to all of that boldness of a second ago," Scorpius asked.

She lifted her chin defiantly. "Yes, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, I will marry you. On the condition that any children we have are not subjected to the torture of your family's awful names!"

* * *

**Chapter title from Kelly Clarkson - 'My Life Would Suck Without You'**

**Again, many, many lines that would fit the chapter!**

**x**


	56. You Said Move On, Where Do I Go?

**More short chapters...I'm so sorry, I don't know what's happened to me. But I did write it quickly...**

**Thanks for reviewing: jcmutt, Arlath's Star, shine lots, Likewow5556, TwistedRaver, Twisted Identity, Joelle8, SeekDreamsAndFindHope, Doni, silverbirch, anamolly2013, Euclidian, sylphides and Marciabarcia. **

* * *

**Chapter 56: You Said Move On, Where Do I Go?**

**2031: Lily Has A Secret**

Ginny and Lily were remarkably similar. In looks. In temperament. In fate. It was a large part of the reason why they had never got on quite as well as Harry and Lily, who could be considered a real Daddy's girl. The Sorting Hat had been hard-pressed to decide between Slytherin and Gryffindor but in the end, Lily wasn't quite as brave as her mother and was quite a bit more cunning.

Like Ginny at a young age, she was good with words. She kept a diary, as Ginny had. Ginny had been broken of the habit due to the experiences of her first-year, and hadn't been able to start again. But Lily remained most comfortable with confiding her thoughts to paper. She had always kept in touch with Henry, her oldest friend from Hogwarts, by post.

But Ginny watched as Lily, whilst growing up, repeated stories that could have come straight from her own childhood. She dated plenty of boys, had furious arguments with her older brothers, didn't have many friends. And when Ginny saw Lily interacting with Al's friends, she knew.

Lily couldn't explain why. He wasn't the funniest boy she knew. He wasn't the most charming. But with him, everything was more enjoyable. She thought she'd lost his friendship, along with any hope of anything more, the first time she snapped at him due to irritations beyond both of their control. But when she recovered her temper and apologised, he hadn't taken offence. Had barely even noticed. And Lily realised she'd found someone who could stay with her through thick and thin.

Falling in love with your older brother's friend sounds romantic. But Ginny knew better than most the problems that it could entail. And it didn't take long before the pair were having a conversation about it.

First in Lily's fifth year, when Ginny counselled her to try forget about it, to be herself around the boy. And, not that she said this (at least, not that she'd admit saying this to Harry) to play the field a bit.

And Lily took the advice, along with a bit of Alice's.

Then, in Lily's seventh year, when Lily was ready to choose her job and graduate, Ginny told her to pick a career that she wanted, not one which would keep her close to the man she loved.

And Lily chose to take a Gap Year, to find out more about the world. And then she chose to learn more at university, to study things on which her Hogwarts Professors had only glanced. And although her mercurial temperament kept some suitors away, she didn't lack for company.

Then, at Albus and Aisha's wedding, when Lily's decade-old dream came true (and not one related to her work), Ginny congratulated her but warned her that dreams of who a person was weren't always reality.

And Lily and her lover continued their relationship, through Owl Post and hurried, hidden meetings. Their friends never knew. Nobody but Ginny knew.

Then, when they broke up only a year later. When the man whom Lily loved had the cheek to say they were both better off apart. Ginny hugged her and consoled her and told her stories about the stupidly noble Gryffindor who had done the same to her, but warned her that sometimes even Gryffindors could be right, hard as it might be for a Slytherin to believe.

And Lily tested the waters for all those other fish in the sea. And she had her relationships, and had her fun. But it all seemed grey in comparison, and she couldn't stop picturing the one who she wanted to be with, the one who she wanted to be kissing. And she was promoted in her job, to Deputy Editor, and began to hatch a plan.

Then, maybe, the next time they saw each other, Lily's Slytherin cunning might be able to convince him back to her.

* * *

**Chapter title from 'Thinking of You', Katy Perry.**

**Cryptic. Sorry. All will be revealed...later. **

**And you have to review, because tomorrow is my birthday. So, please? Even if it sort of crept up on me this year (and everyone else (apart from one very special person who ought to know who she is) as far as I can tell from post received)**

**x**


	57. You Say That You Can't Live Without Me

**Thanks for reviewing: Jasper Lupione, susiipie, silverbirch, SeekDreamsAndFindHope, shine lots, Twisted Identity, TwistedRaver, anamolly2013, CelticGoddess1986, ModernDayRapunzel, Marciabarcia, SKLBug210, Joelle8, mystlyx, sylphides, Euclidian, Doni, Likewow5556 and Midnight Demonn**

**Okay, wow. Really, wow. Thank you so much to all of you people who reviewed! My most reviewers for a chapter, ever. Ever, ever! Thank you! You definitely made my birthday :D**

**And now you have a long chapter! My longest ever, out of all of my stories. By almost 2000 words****! And more than ten times longer than last chapter :D**

**I should have been writing thank-you letters instead, but this counts as one long thank you letter. **

* * *

**Chapter 57: You Know Everything About Me, You Say That You Can't Live Without Me**

**Another Wedding - January 2032**

In several households over wizarding Britain, people were preparing for a holiday. It was an odd time – January.

At the Potter household, Albus and Aisha, married now for two years, packed for what they expected to be a week-long trip on a tropical island. Lysander, Lorcan, Lia and Alice all awaited the same. Lily, her work with the Daily Prophet going well, expected a holiday with her cousin, and Rose's friends.

Hugo, Hermione and Ron Weasley thought that Rose was throwing them a family holiday to celebrate her new promotion, and that she deserved the break – Rose had worked non-stop for the past two years, or so they thought.

Astoria and Draco Malfoy were glad that their son had suggested a holiday, though slightly concerned – at 26 years of age, maybe he should be thinking of holidaying with people other than his parents? But he hadn't dated anyone in the past year.

Only two knew the truth, and they packed with that in mind.

One by one, they Flooed, Apparated or Portkeyed to their destination. Where a surprise awaited.

* * *

"Where on earth is Rose?" Hermione wondered, as she stood with her son and her husband. They'd arranged to meet her in the lobby of the hotel where they were all staying. But nobody was there.

Until, thirty seconds later, someone was. With a resounding crack, two figures and a mountain of luggage materialised.

"Al?" Hugo asked, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"We could ask the same question," Aisha replied, blinking at them. "Are you here with Rose?"

Before they could answer, Lysander came sauntering through the front doors of the hotel, trailed by Lorcan and Lily. "Looking forward to loosening up, o stuffy married couple?" he asked Albus and Aisha jokingly, before noticing Ron and Hermione.

"Mr and Mrs Weasley? I didn't know you were coming." Lorcan remarked.

"The feeling's mutual," Ron muttered.

When a second crack was heard from the corridor, they all turned, expecting it to be Rose, here to sort out the mess. But it was the last thing they expected.

"Malfoy?" Ron asked incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm on holiday, Weasley," Draco replied. "Are there many reasons to be on an island resort?"

Astoria's eyes flicked to the clock, but not fast enough for Aisha's eyes not to catch it.

"Are you waiting for someone?" she asked politely.

"Yes, my son. He's always late though – probably because he breaks watches as soon as he gets them."

"That's Scorpius alright," Albus laughed. His best friend's abysmal track record with watches was an ongoing joke – he'd given up wearing them in fifth year, and the last one he'd had had only lasted three weeks before falling off his wrist.

The others laughed, some more strained than others. Draco had got used to Albus Potter by now, as the pair were at each other's houses more often than not, and Draco had lost count of the number of times he had gone to see his son, only to find Albus there.

Ron, on the other hand, hadn't had the luxury of enforced familiarity and still found it odd, something not helped by the sudden ending of Scorpius and Rose's relationship six years earlier. Ron and Rose were very close – and he was very protective, and quick enough to tell when she was upset by something.

Just then, the doors flew open and a stunning blonde strolled in, arm-in-arm with another blonde. Alice might have aged a few years, but she still hadn't lost the ability to make heads turn wherever she went. Luggage trailed behind the pair on a trolley that must have been charmed by one of them, as it followed the two during their entrance.

Alice lowered her sunglasses and surveyed the group. She'd never been all that good at snappy retorts, although there must have been something to say about such an odd collection of people. Instead she settled for simply raising one eyebrow.

"Don't ask," Albus told her. "We don't quite get why everyone has coincidentally turned up to the same hotel."

"I don't think it's a coincidence," Aisha muttered, her eyes sweeping the crowd. They'd all been invited by either Rose or Scorpius….both of whom were missing. But the two barely got on, now that they'd broken up.

Alice's mind was fast coming to the same conclusion, but she was aided by one thing – she knew that Rose had been hiding something. Rose wasn't a fantastic liar, and something had been going on for over a year now. Her curiosity had demanded that she found out more, but Lia had insisted that she leave Rose her privacy, and Alice had reluctantly agreed. This would fit the mystery though…

And her half-formed theory was confirmed when Rose herself entered the lobby – closely followed by none other than Scorpius Malfoy.

Rose, like her best friend before her, surveyed the faces of the people in the lobby. She knew they'd all arrived – she'd left instructions with the reception desk to alert her when they had. Some looked happier than others – Hermione, Alice, and Lia all wore identical expressions of a smug knowledge that they were right in their suspicions. Aisha, Astoria, Lysander and Lily all showed the aha! expression that was no doubt running through their minds. Draco's face was inscrutable, as was Lorcan's, although for different reasons. Albus, Ron and Hugo (and it was still amusing to Rose just how similar her cousin and her father were) looked shocked.

"As you might have worked out," she said, "you're all here thanks to us. And this isn't a holiday – well, it is. You are all welcome to stay here all week. But Scorpius and I will be going on our honeymoon on the day after tomorrow."

Alice was only the beginning of the surge that rushed forward to hug the couple. Aisha's eyes were suspiciously dewy, and Albus was beaming all over his face. These weren't the reactions that concerned Rose and Scorpius, of course. They'd known that their friends would be over the moon – it was their families that were the issue.

So Rose was surprised to be embraced by Astoria. "Thank Rowena, some brains back in the family," Astoria muttered into her ear. Rose laughed, surprised, having forgotten that Scorpius' mother was a Ravenclaw.

Ron, to everyone's surprise, was next to move. He hugged Rose tightly. "Congratulations, Rosie." he told her firmly, before turning to Scorpius.

"I'll give you some advice about marrying stubborn geniuses," he said. "One – no matter what they say, tell them that they're right. Two – no matter what they say, they'll be right."

"And I'll say something about which I hope I'm wrong," Hermione sighed. "You better enjoy your honeymoon, because you might not live much past it – Molly is going to go completely crazy when she finds out that you've eloped and she missed your wedding."

Draco was the last to join the throng. "It's about time," he told them. "Scorpius has clearly been hung up on Miss Weasley here since her first year at Hogwarts. His letters home were full of little else – particularly once they started playing Quidditch together."

Scorpius wore a smile that was just a little pained – he remembered quite clearly one particular Quidditch match where being unable to take his eyes off Rose nearly cost them the match.

"Why are you getting married here?" Albus asked. Rose rolled her eyes at the obvious question.

"We were planning to get married in June," Rose told him. "But then we started trying to work out guest lists. And we realised that nowhere would let us book the reception there – it'd be completely destroyed by half a dozen duels breaking out all over the place."

Scorpius grinned. "I think it was when we were trying to decide whether to put up a physical barrier between the bride's side and the groom's side –"

"- not to mention whether the family friends table should have Lee Jordan sat next to Gregory Goyle or opposite him, so that they could glare at each other over the entire evening." Rose added.

"Then we wondered why we were bothering to try. Why not just invite you all and sell tickets." Scorpius joked.

Rose laughed and elbowed him. "I would have been in the front row," she agreed. "But then one of us had the brainwave-"

"-probably our resident Madam Brain-"

"-to just elope. Neither of us cared about the whole hoopla of a wedding anyway. And don't call me Madam Brain! It sounds kind of-"

"-like the owner of a _very _odd brothel?" Scorpius asked.

"Do they always finish each other's sentences?" Hugo asked, disorientated.

A chorus of 'yes' came from those students who had been at school with the pair. "Ever since the first boat ride," Lia told him.

"It reminds me a bit of Fred and George," Ron remarked to Hermione. More than a few of them frowned, unnerved by the implication that followed that.

"It reminds me a bit of you two," Draco told them. He was sneering slightly but not offensively. "But talking instead of bickering. Honestly, you had so many arguments that we used to lay bets on whether you'd be speaking to each other in that lesson!"

Once they were all checked in and settled in their rooms, the group separated into girls and boys, ready for impromptu stag and hen nights, for which they were going to separate islands. They were supplied with Portkeys to bring them home in case they were too intoxicated to Apparate – something the hotel arranged free of charge, which may not have been a good sign.

And they were gone.

* * *

"I still hate you, by the way."

Draco Malfoy raised one aristocratic eyebrow at Ron Weasley. "I cannot find the words to convey just how little I care, Weasel."

They had gone out with the boys on the beginning of the Stag Night, but had returned to the hotel bar fairly quickly. Not that they were too old for clubs or anything, it was just that it was the young ones' night. And they should be able to enjoy it alone, looking for girls to pull without worrying about their dads following them. Ron was more worried about his daughter wandering around out there, but Hermione was with her so he wasn't very worried.

He also wasn't entirely sober. "I mean it," he persisted. "Scorpius is a decent bloke, but you're not. And you never will be."

"Still not caring," Draco replied.

"And if you even let that Dad of yours hurt her..." Ron let the threat tail off.

Malfoy's knuckles went white with the force with which he was gripping his wand, but that was his only visible reaction. "Rose will be a Malfoy after tomorrow. Father doesn't hurt members of the family."

"Oh, so even Death Eaters have their limits."

Sparks shot out of Draco's wand, but he somehow kept his temper.

"That goes for your mother too," Ron added off-handedly.

That was it for Draco, and he got to his feet. "Try saying that again with a wand in your face, Weasley," he snapped.

Entirely nonplussed, Ron got to his feet, and Draco was irritated to learn that Ron had two inches in height over him. "So insulting your mother is what it takes to get a reaction? I'll have to remember that."

Ron had the immense pleasure then, of seeing a Slytherin expressing actual genuine shock. "You...you were just trying to get a rise out of me?" Draco demanded.

Ron shrugged. "It was something to do. And I still don't understand how a little git like you were could have raised a nice kid like Scorpius."

Draco dropped back into his seat and muttered something.

"What was that, Malfoy?" Ron asked.

"My wife," Draco repeated unwillingly.

"Who is she, anyway? I don't remember seeing her at school."

"She was two years below us. A Ravenclaw. Daphne Greengrass' sister."

"I always thought you'd marry Pansy Parkinson," Ron commented.

"Pansy died, Weasley. In the Final Battle."

"Oh."

Ron couldn't think of a single thing to say to this. Finally he asked, "Did a lot of...you-know, your people, die?"

"Shouldn't you know this? You were there, if I remember correctly."

"I was a bit distracted at the time," Ron said coldly.

The two men sat in silence for a long time, thinking on their losses. Then a voice intruded into the silence.

"You'd think that there was going to be a funeral tomorrow, not a wedding." Hermione's amused tones commented.

"Or an execution," Astoria agreed.

The two women entered the bar and sat down on the same sofa, opposite their husbands, who didn't seem thrilled at the two women's closeness.

"What are you doing back?" Draco muttered sourly.

Astoria raised her brows at his tone, but didn't comment. "We're not really the clubbing type, and we wouldn't have been able to stop ourselves from taking the alcohol away from the girls if we'd stayed much longer."

"Alcohol?" Ron asked, bolting upright in his chair. "Rose is getting drunk?"

"Oh, calm down, Ron." Hermione sighed. "Anyway, you can't talk. Harry said that you were paralytic the night before our wedding."

Ron scowled; Draco smirked. "Trying to drown your sorrows, Weasley?"

"Draco!" Astoria scolded. "Besides, you might not have been drunk before our wedding, but do you remember the first time we met? You could barely walk straight and the only reason that I spoke to you is because you were about to Splinch yourself."

It was Draco's turn to scowl as Ron sniggered.

"It was that awful drink," Astoria mused reminiscently. "Can't remember what it was called, but it was blue. Drinks just shouldn't be blue."

Hermione nodded in agreement, and the pair launched into a chat about colours, whilst their spouses sat hunched sulkily in the chairs opposite.

"Well, we do have a lot of windows," Astoria agreed nearly an hour later, the two women having got onto the topic of the Hogwarts Houses. "But the Ravenclaw Common Room doesn't have much else that is to do with air. Lots of blue drapes though."

"We had a fireplace, so I always wondered whether all of the Common Rooms had something to do with their element. I tried to ask Ron and Harry if Slytherin had a fountain, for water, but they didn't notice." She tutted. "Boys, so unobservant."

Draco stared at her. "You mean that Potter and Weasley broke into our Common Room?"

"I'm sat right here, Malfoy," Ron muttered.

Draco didn't deign to respond. Hermione decided not to answer Draco's question, in the interest of not causing more conflict.

Ron frowned at Hermione. "You've left Rose alone!" he suddenly gasped.

"Honestly, Ron. She's hardly alone. Lily is there, and Aisha. They're both quite sensible. So is Rose, you know."

Draco smirked. It didn't go unnoticed.

"What's so funny?" Ron snapped at him.

"The fact that the two most responsible people in that group are Slytherins. Trust us now, do you Weasley?"

"I trust those two. Not your type of Slytherin."

"You know, with these genes, you might get a grandchild in Slytherin."

"Over my dead body," Ron scowled.

"Oh, Ronald!" Hermione burst in, clearly having become more and more irritated by the second. "Don't say something like that. You'd still have loved Rose if she'd been a Slytherin, wouldn't you?"

"Of course," Ron muttered. "But she's better than that. It would be Malfoy's fault if any kid ended up in Slytherin."

"Scorpius is a Gryffindor," Astoria reminded him.

"I don't mean Scorpius. I meant..." he gestured at Draco.

"For Merlin's sake! Stop being so pathetic. Both of you," Hermione nearly snarled, her eyes narrowed as her glare flickered between the two men. "Do you love your children?" She held up a finger. "One word answers only."

"Yes," Ron and Draco mumbled in unison.

"Excellent. So tomorrow, the happiest day of their lives, are you going to make it about your hatred of each other rather than their love?"

"No," they replied, Ron waiting a second to reply this time. Only so that he wasn't speaking in unison with Draco.

"Good," Hermione snapped.

After a moment's peace, Draco raised his eyebrows at Hermione. "Bossy, aren't you, Granger?"

"Weasley, now. But it's Hermione to you."

"What?" Ron and Draco were speaking simultaneously again. Judging from the glares that they shot each other, they didn't seem to like that fact.

"Hermione. My name. You will call me by my first name. We'll be related, this time tomorrow, so using surnames is frankly ridiculous. Not to mention, a bit confusing."

"Shake hands," Astoria suddenly said. They gaped at her. "Draco, shake hands with Ron."

"Ron, shake hands with Draco," Hermione added.

"When did you two get all friendly," Ron complained.

"Today," Hermione replied. "Now shake hands."

Very, very grudgingly, they did so.

"Thank you," Astoria said. "Now, I'm speaking to both of you too. And if either one of you does anything, anything at all, to spoil tomorrow for our children, then you _will_ regret it."

Her matter-of-fact tone made the threat all the more menacing.

"And as Ron doesn't know this, I'll fill him in. Astoria is an Obliviator. She can make you regret it forever," Hermione added. "Remember Lockhart."

Draco shivered. "I hate people messing around in my head," he said softly, but Ron overheard.

Ron frowned. He had never envied Harry about having to learn Occlumency from Snape, but he had suddenly remembered something that Harry had told him. Malfoy had learned it from his aunt, from Bellatrix Lestrange. It was his turn to shiver. The idea of learning anything from that woman - the idea of even having spend time with her - sent chills down his spine.

It was one of the things that he had the most nightmares from the War about, hearing Hermione tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange. Dreams where he got there too late, where she'd ended up like the Longbottoms.

He stood up. "I'm going to bed." He said decisively. "Night Hermione. Night Mrs...uh, good night Astoria." He steeled himself. "See you tomorrow...Draco."

Hermione beamed.

* * *

Lily groaned, blinking. Her mouth felt terribly dry, and the light seemed far too bright.

"Morning!" chirped a cheery voice.

"Alice?" she asked, bewildered. "Weren't you staying in a room with Lia?"

"Oh, yes but we thought it would be for me to move into Rose and your room to make sure that you were up this morning."

"Because she's the bride?" Lily asked.

"Yes. And because you were in the worst state last night."

"I was?"

Alice snickered, prompting Lily to try to sit up and look at her. As soon as she did so, she felt a sudden rush and leapt to her feet, making a dash for the toilet. Alice easily dodged her, and the redhead fell to her knees and began to vomit.

"Stop smiling," Lily growled, able to sense Alice's amusement despite not looking at her.

"Sorry," Alice replied, not sounding remotely contrite.

"Merlin, you could act a _little _bit more sincere."

"I know, but I can't be bothered. I was ever so sympathetic last night."

"You were?"

That set Alice's laughter off again. "Lily, exactly how much of last night do you remember?"

"Well, we reached that bar. Then we moved onto that beach party, but we didn't want to turn up without any booze, so I went and bought some to contribute to the booze pile."

"Do you remember what happened to it?"

"I drank it? And then…" Lily frowned, trying to pin down memories that seemed ridiculously hazy, considering how recent they were. "Something else?"

"You downed practically all of the bottle of Raunchy Rum. And then you tried to move onto everything else, but the rum was taking effect, and they don't call it 'raunchy' for nothing."

One particular memory flashed up in Lily's brain then, and she frowned. "But you….how are you fine? You were not sober."

A voice spoke from behind them. "Sickening, isn't it?"

"Rose, good morning," Alice said sweetly. "Sleep well?"

"Go away," Rose retorted. "Take your perfectly done hairstyle and already made-up face and go away."

Alice was, indeed, far more towards readiness than the rest of them. Although dressed only in a bathrobe, her hair was already pinned up and she had sat down at a table to do her make-up.

"Want any breakfast," she teased, wafting the smells towards them. Rose stuck her head under the cover, Lily shrugged and sat down.

Resurfacing, Rose stared at her in disbelief. "Now, I at least remember all of last night. And this morning. And there is no way that you can be up to eating."

"Actually, she probably threw up all of the alcohol in her system." Alice grimaced. "Repeatedly."

"I threw up? Last night?" Lily asked, surprised.

Both Rose and Alice laughed.

"Yes." Rose supplied. "Um…..the first time, I don't think we noticed. Lia and Alice were off snogging in a corner somewhere – honestly, a Hen Night is when you're all supposed to be single – and Aisha was looking after me. Not that I was that drunk!" she said defensively.

"It was the third or fourth time when Lia noticed. We'd sort of left you, since you were having fun being the life and soul of the party," Alice continued. "You were dancing….so was Rose, mind you."

Rose groaned, and put her head under the pillow.

"You can't talk!" Lily snapped. "You were _pole-dancing_. And that was at the beginning of the evening. Did you drink before we came out?"

"No," came Rose's muffled voice. "She didn't. This is why you shouldn't _ever _go out with Alice. She has the limits of a camel, but she acts drunk basically over the whole night. So you think she's drunker than you, so you relax. And then she remembers it all, because she was actually sober the whole time."

Alice tilted her head to one side, then shrugged. "That's about right," she agreed. "Whereas you shouldn't _ever _go out with Lia. She is hard-working – at everything. Including having fun. And she's just so tiny, she drinks a drop and she's on the floor." She grinned wickedly. "Actually, she's on me. And she'd so _inventive _when she's drunk."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I didn't need to know, Alice."

"I never need to know – she tells me anyway," Rose informed her.

"What was Aisha like?" Lily asked, sighing at how ridiculous it was to be asking about something that she must have seen only the previous night.

"She doesn't get drunk, hardly at all. She has fun and socialises, but she's far too responsible." Rose muttered, dragging herself from her bed and staggering into the bathroom. The door slammed and locked behind her.

"What else happened last night?" Lily asked pleadingly. "Nothing too embarrassing, please? I mean, Ron and Hermione didn't see me?"

"Oh no, Astoria and Hermione went home after that first club. And according to the boys, Ron and Draco came back to the hotel to drink and chat in their bar. More their style, apparently. But they were all in bed by the time we got you home."

Lily sighed in relief, idly picking at the piece of toast on her plate. She really wasn't hungry, but she knew that she should be. Then she froze. "According to the boys? You mean, they told you this morning, right? When you went and got breakfast?"

Alice shook her head. "This is room service," she told the younger girl. "I haven't seen them yet this morning…at least, not since I slept."

"Then when did they turn up last night?" Lily snapped worriedly.

"Just as we were getting back to the hotel actually."

"And how were they?"

"Albus and Scorpius were very…jolly. Wobbling along, arms round each others' shoulders. They would have been singing really loudly, I think, but they'd started doing that pretend whisper that you do when you're drunk? And giggling every ten seconds."

"And the twins?"

"Not bothered about Hugo?" Alice asked, amused.

"As long as he doesn't blackmail me about it – which he wouldn't, he's such a Gryffindor – I don't care."

"He wouldn't be able to. I don't think he can remember much of last night either. Apparently he spent a large amount of it tangled up with a passably attractive – and equally intoxicated – brunette." Alice sighed. "As for the twins, it was hard to tell. Contrary to popular belief, I wasn't stone cold sober. I'm just better at controlling it long enough to activate the Portkey, hiding it well enough to walk straight and having the intelligence to down about three litres of water, both before I sleep and the instant that I wake up. And voila- no headache."

"It was hard to tell – so they weren't that drunk?" Lily asked.

"Lysander was, I think. But he's not a happy drunk, like Al or Scorpius. He gets so sleepy! He was barely avoiding tripping over his own feet. As for Lorcan, I think he was acting strange- stranger, any way. He fell over, and he started talking to the plant."

Lily nodded, not entirely reassured.

"You get the record though," Alice giggled.

"What are we talking about?" Aisha asked, as she followed Lia into the hotel room. "The record that Lily set last night for projectile-vomiting? Or Lia's impressive attempt to walk through the wall?"

"I thought it was a door!" Lia protested, blushing fiercely.

"It was made of bricks, sweetie," Aisha told her. "That tends to be a good clue."

Lia didn't respond.

"Tired?" Alice teased.

Lia flicked her on the side of the head. "That's for letting me drink too much," she told Alice.

"That's not fair!" Alice protested.

"You know, it really is." Lia told her, as she took a chair at the table.

"I was projectile-vomiting?" Lily wailed.

"No," Lia reassured her. "Just not walking all that well. Or straight."

"Or at all," Aisha remarked dryly. "I think Alice and I were basically carrying you."

"Which is why I wasn't able to check the path of my beloved, and steer her away from her imminent collision with the nasty wall," Alice added.

"Mm, we sort of had to let Lia and Rose help each other along, since it took all of our not-quite-sober wits to work out how to keep your legs moving."

"Thank Merlin for that Portkey that was pre-programmed for the hotel lobby," Lia said. "Otherwise we'd still be there."

"That's thanks to Rose's organizing," Aisha admitted. "She ordered them, and knew to give them to me and Alice. Although none of us expected Lily to react like Lily did."

"Do I hear someone complimenting my organisation, for a change?" Rose asked as she emerged from the bathroom.

"Well, it can be irritating, but I guess I have to thank you guys," Lily admitted, glancing at her cousin, then glancing back.

"Oh, Rose," she gasped. "You look lovely."

"Um, thanks." Rose blushed under the sudden gaze of four females. "I thought since it was a beach wedding, it should be quite informal. But I still wanted white, so I thought…" she trailed off.

"Give us a twirl," Lia said encouragingly.

Rose twirled awkwardly in a circle, her white skirt flaring out. The white bikini she wore was half-hidden by a sort of white cardigan.

"I'm not sure about the hair," Aisha frowned.

"I've not done my hair yet," Rose retorted. "Obviously." It was quite obvious – admittedly, her hair was wrapped in white – but it was a white towel, clearly covering dripping wet hair.

"I'll do your hair." Alice announced.

"No, not bossy at all," Lia murmured softly.

Alice heard her, raised one eyebrow at her, and then looked back. "So, what should we wear?"

"Purple." Rose said decisively. "That was the only thing we could ever decide about a wedding, that the colour scheme had to be purple. Red and blue, um, mixed together?"

"We know what purple is," Aisha told her.

As usual when surrounded by the other four, Lily had become slightly quiet. She stood and began to head towards the bathroom, and then paused.

"I'm wearing clothes?" she asked, confused.

"I know, it's such a shame," Alice purred.

Amidst laughs and the sound of people thumping Alice, Rose took pity on her.

"You're still in the clothes from last night. We weren't going to start changing you, not once you'd basically passed out on the bed."

"Or on the floor, from where we levitated you to the bed." Alice added.

Only an hour or so later, the girls were dressed and almost ready to go. Astoria and Hermione had joined them and Rose's hair had been done, first treated with Alice's hair potion, which she had added a few things to in order to apparently change it to Rose's hair type. Then it had curled into tight ringlets, considerably less frizzy than Rose's normal attempts.

The girls had all ended up with purple bikinis, through the route of a simple Colour-Changing Transfiguration – which, Aisha was amused to note, Alice asked Lia to do, despite Alice herself getting ? in Transfiguration.

At the last minute, Alice had whipped out a present for Rose. She had heard of the "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue" tradition from Lia, and chosen the item immediately.

"My old school tie," Rose gasped.

"_My _old school tie, actually." Alice told her. "That's how it's borrowed. And it's old, and it's blue."

"But it's not new," Lily objected.

"Not yet," Alice retorted. "Lia, if you would do the honours."

Lia stood forward and lay her wand on one end of the tie. A red blush spread from its tip, moving up the tie and paling as it did so to finally mix with the blue and become a rich purple in the centre.

"Now it matches your colour scheme too," Alice said triumphantly.

"How did you know what colour scheme she would pick?" Aisha asked, impressed.

"How did you know to bring it with you?" Lily added.

"Female intuition," Alice replied lightly. Lia smiled at her.

A knock came on the door. "Ladies?" It was Lysander. "Are you ready to go?"

The chorus of excited squeals and yeses may have hurt his ears, but when the doors opened he showed no sign of it. He made sure to compliment Rose on her outfit, and the mothers on theirs, before offering Astoria his arm and guiding her downstairs, where Ron and Lorcan were waiting.

"Al and... Draco are out with Scorpius," Ron explained, kissing his wife before taking his place next to his daughter as Lorcan took Hermione's arm. Nobody commented on the fact that he'd called Draco Malfoy by his first name.

They made their way out of the hotel, not in a procession precisely – more in a crowd that blocked any oncomers' view of Rose and Ron at the back. Finally, they were at the charming little private beach, complete with palm trees, a shower block and a pier, where the ceremony was to take place.

For such a simple ceremony, they didn't need legions of bridesmaids or ushers. Instead, Scorpius stood in front of the young wizard who would marry them, casually dressed in black trunks and a white shirt. Albus stood to one side, and the others all crowded in two rough groups. Everyone but Ron, Rose and Alice joined the groups, leaving a make-shift aisle between them that led up to Scorpius.

Alice hurried out from behind the clump of trees where Ron and Rose had hung back. "Prepare for the arrival of the bride," she announced.

"Shouldn't we have music?" Lorcan pointed out.

"You could play your sitar?" Lily suggested.

Grinning wickedly, Alice produced a flute from behind her back. Lia gasped.

"It was you who stole it?"

"Guilty as charged. Now, play!"

The others didn't have time to react to this surprise news that Lia could play the flute, or that Lorcan could play the sitar. Or how Lily knew. Lia, prompted by Alice, put the flute to her lips and began to play a version of the Wedding March. And Rose came into view.

Tears were gathering in her eyes, although they were far more evident in both Scorpius and Ron's.

As she reached the front, Ron kissed her cheek and gave her hand to Scorpius, fixing him with a stare that was intimidating despite the tears that spilled from his blue eyes. He took his own position next to Hermione, holding her tightly as the officiating wizard began.

The service was traditional, despite its unusual setting. Rose's voice shook and stumbled over her vows, although she didn't take her gaze from Scorpius' face, whose voice was completely steady as he made his. Albus didn't even pretend to have lost the rings when the time came (probably from fear of Alice) and, until the kiss, everyone behaved with perfect dignity.

Of course, at the kiss, wolf-whistles, catcalls and cheering broke out. Lia began to play again for the first dance, which turned into the second and the third, the tempo increasing each time as more couples took to the floor – or the sand.

Aisha and Albus, Hermione and Ron, Draco and Astoria all began to dance. The three singletons joined them, Lily surrounded by both of the Scamander twins. Alice remained standing by Lia's side.

Suddenly Albus made a break for it. Scooping Aisha up and over his shoulder, he dashed off the pier, the pair of them landing with a huge splash. The newly-weds took their example, holding hands so that it was impossible to tell who was dragging who. Draco and Astoria, sedate and calm, strolled into the sea – until Astoria pushed Draco under an oncoming wave, only to have her leg grabbed and pulled down.

"Catch me if you can," Lily called over her shoulder, racing off towards the end of the pier. It wasn't definite who her invitation was for – nor did it matter, as the boys all followed suit.

Like his nephew, Ron scooped Hermione up, mock-groaning under her weight before taking off with surprisingly fast strides.

Lia had to put the flute down. She was laughing to hard to breathe, let alone play. Alice was watching, also giggling madly.

Until Lia grabbed hold of her hand and began to tow her towards the pier. There was no question here about who was dragging who – with impressive force, little blonde Lia was definite leading an extremely reluctant Alice, who was coming up with every excuse under the sun not to join them.

Finally, at the edge, she reminded Lia of what she'd told her over fifteen years ago. "I still can't swim," she pleaded.

"Trust me," Lia told her, and Alice let her pull her over the edge. They resurfaced a moment later, Lia completely supporting Alice in her arms. A little way away, Scorpius and Rose were racing, although they did keep being interrupted in order to kiss each other or just to say 'wife', 'husband', 'mrs malfoy', etc.

Lorcan seemed to be pointing something out to Lily, who was grinning from ear-to-ear about something. Albus and Aisha were simply floating on their backs, happily gazing at the sky and talking about something.

* * *

The women were all showering in the changing rooms to get rid of the salt from their hair before they enjoyed the beach barbecue at the restaurant Scorpius and Rose had booked for their wedding dinner.

Hermione was the first to leave. Astoria looked about to follow her, wanting to give the younger generation a chance to talk, but Rose stopped Astoria before she could.

"I, um, wanted to say sorry," Rose said, too quietly for the others in the shower to overhear. "For insulting your niece, and your sister, and disrupting your anniversary party."

Astoria shrugged. "It was a party. People expect to be insulted and offended."

"But, they're your family," Rose protested.

"She's my sister. I hate her. She infuriates me. We disagree on practically every topic. Her husband is a snob. Her daughter is an exact copy of how Daphne was. We've barely spoken since my wedding because every time that we do so for more than ten minutes, we end up in an argument."

"Then why did you invite her?"

"I love her. When the whole family was ostracising me, she made me a bridesmaid at her wedding. She brought me some food the first time I disagreed with my parents about pure-blood supremacy and was sent to my room. Then she told me I shouldn't eat it all, because I'd need good looks to attract a wealthy husband if I didn't have a good reputation. I invited her to my house because she wants to check that I'm happy. And she wants the gossip to spread with her bland social circle. You gave her more than she was hoping for. I should be thanking you."

"This is what my Gran means when he says that some pure-bloods have weird traditions." Rose muttered, then gasped and clapped her hand to her mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude."

"That's not rudeness, it's honesty. Besides, Draco and I tried to bring Scorpius up to be just like that. He wouldn't be repressed and sarcastic like us. And he found a girl who suits him, and who he likes. That is most important."

Rose smiled. "Thanks, Mrs Mal- Astoria," she amended, remembering what Astoria had said on the day of that party.

"Call me Tori. We're family now. And you're Mrs Malfoy." Leaving Rose to dwell on that fact, Astoria left.

"Merlin's beard." Rose whispered, staring blankly into the shower room as she re-entered it. "I'm Mrs Malfoy! Rose Malfoy. That's my name now."

"Weird, isn't it?" Aisha said sympathetically. "I don't know what's stranger for me, suddenly changing my name or suddenly being a Mrs. I feel so old, but every time that someone says Aisha Potter, I want to grin."

"Come on, you've basically been Aisha Potter in waiting since fifth year," Alice laughed. "At least Rose and Scorpius were a _bit _of a surprise. Not much though, admittedly. When two fathers dislike each other that much, it seriously just has to happen. The only question now is, which of you will be first to start popping out mini-Potters. Or mini-Malfoys."

Rose laughed, but Aisha looked shocked. "I hadn't even considered….oh, no. What am I supposed to do now? I do want kids, but…"

"What's wrong?" Lia asked, and Rose noticed something slightly off about her smile. Alice saw it too, but she knew why it was there.

Aisha sighed. "I have something I have to tell you lot. Albus and I have talked about it, and he's delighted. Not surprised, but…."

Aisha paused. Alice sighed impatiently. "Don't pause for dramatic effect, tell us!"

"I'm planning on running for Minister of Magic. I know I have to become Head of Law Enforcement first, but everything I do now, is going to be with that in mind. There are nine years until Minister Anderson has to step down. There are a lot of things that could go wrong, but right now, I want this. I might change my mind, it might never happen. It's just a possible future."

"You won't change your mind!" Alice laughed, as they all gathered around to hug Aisha. "You're more stubborn than Rose."

"And you'd make an excellent Minister," Lily agreed, happy for her sister-in-law.

"Whether you become Minister, the Head of Law Enforcement or anything else," Lia said softly. "You'll end up where you want to be, you've got the ambition to get there."

"I can see why children can be an issue," Rose sighed. "People might not vote for you if they think you're neglecting your children."

"Not that they should," Lily muttered. "Lots of Ministers have had children in the past. Just because Aisha's a woman, they think she's neglecting them if she's not looking after them 24:7."

"I know that's what people should think," Alice agreed, "but I'm sure Aisha has enough prejudices to be overcoming rather than add another one."

"Muggleborn, female, Asian." Aisha agreed. "In decreasing order of importance to the Wizarding World, yet equal stupidity. None of them would stop me from being a good leader."

"Some of them, like being female, make you a better leader," Lily grinned.

Wanting to deflect attention from herself, Aisha grinned. "So, that's four out of our original eight in wedded bliss. But when are you two going to make honest women of each other?"

Lia smiled. "Alice, an honest woman?" she joked. "I don't think that'll ever happen."

Alice stuck her head back into the shower to push the hair from her face so that it streamed down her back, straight and gleaming. "You're right," she told Lia. "I'm an expert liar, so much so that only you can ever tell when I'm trying my hardest to lie. You, on the other hand, are not. So I can tell when you're hiding something. Like then."

She smiled and then, slipped to one knee. She took Lia's hand. "Marry me, Lia."

Lia stared and then, to the astonishment of the others, shook her head. "No, Alice. You're doing this just because I want to get married. You told everyone we were together because I wanted you to. I'll only marry you if you want to marry me."

Alice laughed. "I do. I've wanted to propose to you at every single wedding we've attended in the last six years but I haven't dared. Because you wouldn't want to, because it's their day, not ours, and it wouldn't be fair. That's why I want to marry you.

Because you've never needed the admiring looks of strangers to know that you're beautiful, that goodness shines out of your every pore.

Because you're nice. And that's just an underrated compliment. You're nice, and it's wonderful.

Because I love you.

Because I _am_ a liar, and to every person I wear a different face. So many masks, that I have no idea which one is me. But the person I am with you, is the person I want that inner me to be."

Lily leaned over and muttered to Aisha. "She should have been in Slytherin with us. We're supposed to be the self-centred House. How many I's have there been in this speech?"

"Not a romantic at all, are you?" Aisha returned, smiling.

Alice had heard them. "There are only I's, because there's no reason you should marry me. You're kind, and you're generous, you're hardworking and you're beautiful. You could have any woman you want. You're smarter than me. You could have done any job you wanted, but you wanted to help people."

Lia laughed. "And you're gorgeous. And funny, and intelligent. And, it seems, full of surprises. You walk that sexy walk, toss your hair and everyone looks at you. And it's just like when we first came out, everyone stares when you end up with me. But I don't care, because I trust you. We might be the oddest couple in the entire world. So I'll marry you, because I love you. And because I've never heard you tell anyone that you loved them before."

Alice stood and kissed her fiancée. Of course, being Alice, she didn't just stand – she pulled on Lia's hand, still clasped in hers, to enable her to slide gracefully to her feet – and cause Lia to overbalance so that she was in perfect position to sweep round and kiss. Grinning, Alice put Lia back on her feet.

"Wow," Aisha smiled. "You two _are_ the same height. I always presumed Alice was taller. Do you actually own any flat shoes, Alice?"

"I am the only one with any romance in me, aren't I?" Rose sighed. "Congratulations, ladies. But if we don't want the boys to beat down our door because they're dying of hunger, we might want to leave."

"Well, you should always consider falling in love with a girl," Alice answered, finally moving away from Lia, though they still held hands. "They're so much more fun to live with. And I should know."

"Actually, you've only kissed one girl," Lily pointed out. "Lia might be the only girl who is better than a boy."

"Shall I find out?" Alice teased, puckering her lips up at Lily. "Besides, that's just tough luck to anyone else. Because she's mine now, and I will never let her get away from me. Even if it's not the romantic proposal everyone will expect. I mean, how will I live down having gotten engaged in a bathroom?"

The others laughed, although Rose's busy mind was wondering about Lia's strange smile. And the look that Alice had given afterwards, sympathetic and equally...sad. That was it. No, not quite. And she suddenly realised why she hadn't recognised it before, because she'd never seen this expression on Lia's face before, despite Alice's constant flirting. Jealousy. Of Aisha. But why?

Later that evening, as they sat at tables with their own private barbecue – it was strange, as Lysander had pointed out, that they were paying extra to cook their own food – there were more congratulations. The celebrations, however, were restrained in their alcohol consumption. Lily commented to Ginny that Rose and Scorpius probably wanted to remember their wedding night – and Lia and Alice might just be celebrating too.

* * *

**Sorry for mentions of more alcohol abuse. But Lily is young - 24 - and maybe not always that responsible yet.**

**Do you all know why Lia is jealous of Aisha?**

**Chapter title, Taylor Swift, I'm Only Me When I'm With You. Basically the whole song was playing along while I wrote the wedding part of the scene, with mty thoughts flashing to various couples for various lyrics.**

**Friday night beneath the stars,**  
**in a field behind your yard,**  
**you and I are paintin' pictures in the sky.**  
**And sometimes we don't say a thing;**  
**just listen to the crickets sing.**  
**Everything I need is right here by my side.**  
**And I know everything about you**  
**I don't wanna live without you.**

**I'm only up when you're not down.**  
**Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground.**  
**It's like no matter what I do.**

**Well you drive me crazy half the time;**  
**the other half I'm only trying to let you know that what I feel is true.**  
**And I'm only me when I'm with you.**

**Just a small town boy and girl**  
**livin' in a crazy world.**  
**Tryin' to figure out what is and isn't true.**  
**And I don't try to hide my tears.**  
**The secrets or my deepest fears.**  
**Through it all nobody gets me like you do.**  
**And you know everything about me.**  
**You say that you can't live without me.**

**When I'm with anybody else it's so hard to be myself.**  
**Only you can tell.**

**x**


	58. Other Fish In The Sea Are Not For Me

**Thanks for reviewing: Joelle8, Marciabarcia, silverbirch, shine lots, Arlath's Star, Doni, TwistedRaver, Midnight Demonn, SeekDreamsAndFindHope, Likewow5556, jcmutt and sylphides.**

**Not including this chapter, there are seven more chapters. Just thought that I'd let you know. **

* * *

**Chapter 58: I Know These Other Fish In The Sea Are Not For Me**

**February 2033 - Lia and Alice get married**

Their wedding would be, so far, the most traditional out of the eight. Other than the one, rather important deviation of there being two brides, it would be a true wizarding wedding. To be fair, there were a few other things that they had had to alter. Both knew that their fathers wanted to walk them down the aisle. Both wanted to have bridesmaids.

The complexities of organizing this, along with simply wanting to wait until all of their other friends had been settled in their marriages had caused the year-long delay since their odd proposal in the shower.

In the end, they'd chosen to have a congregation divided into three parts. The normal two sides, with a center aisle, and another group of people facing them, separated by the platform where they would say their vows and two further aisles, which would therefore make a T-shape overall.

Along the left side of the top of the T, Lia would walk, arm in arm with Dennis and trailed by Aisha, Scorpius, Albus and Lily. The left side of the seats facing her would therefore be mainly for her family and friends – mostly from work.

Alice would walk along the right side of the T, her arm held by Neville and with Rose, Lysander, Lorcan and Sarah as her attendants. They would meet where the center aisle met their walkways, and the ceremony would be held where a pretty circular platform, its roof supported by three pillars and with snowdrops draped over it, stood.

The people who had taken part in the wedding, along with the brides' mothers would be sat in the seating above the T.

Lia would be the vision in white; Alice had taken the groom's colours and wore black. They were the only colours of the wedding. The dramatic simplicity of monochrome had appealed to both, so everything was black (Alice's bridesmaid's clothes, the seats of the chairs, the roof of the platform where they would make their vows) or white (Lia's bridesmaids, the woodwork of the chairs, the snowdrops, the pillars of the platform).

The music played as both took their steps towards each other. Their fathers' faces both beamed with pride and love, as did their mothers and their friends. The smile on Lia's face was a mile wide; tears of joy and hope spilled from Alice's eyes.

As they met, Neville and Dennis passed their hands to each other, and stood aside, descending the three steps that led to the raised platform to take their seats next to their wives. The officiating minister was the only one who remained in the area.

He began to speak, and Alice wondered if he had developed his droning voice from too many weddings, or if he had gone into weddings because of his droning voice. She met Lia's eyes, and it didn't matter.

Too intent on each other, they did not notice when he had stopped speaking. "Amelia Naomi Creevey?" he prompted again. Aisha stood up from where she had been sat and handed her a sheaf of notes, elbowing her in the process.

Lia gave a start. "Sorry," she muttered, a blush spreading on her cheeks – a smile spread on Alice's in response.

They had decided to write their own vows, which had been Alice's idea, although it was a deadly secret whose decision it had actually been.

"I didn't know what to say when I sat down to write this," Lia began, her gaze flickering from her notes to Alice's face. "I'm not the one out of us who is good with her words. I know that I love Alice. I can feel it, and it's been there for so long. But I couldn't tell you why."

Her cheeks were still rosy, although whether that was from the winter chill or the embarrassment of speaking in front of so many people, Alice couldn't tell. Admittedly, there weren't that many people – neither had any aunts or uncles alive, and only one grandparent was attending between them. Alice's audience was made up entirely of the man from whom she had gained her Potions Mastery and her three siblings. All of them had turned up, which was a surprise to Alice. Although Sarah and Toby supported her, Frank had not been so accepting. Maybe this was understandable, given that Frank was only two years below Alice at Hogwarts and had had to bear the brunt of her notoriety. But he was here regardless of his opinion of her relationship.

Lia continued. "But then I remembered that this wasn't the first time that either of us have had to answer this question. It seems like it was the only response to our relationship. Not 'why a girl', but why _her_. Alice's friends would ask why she sacrificed time to someone so dull, so plain, so quiet, someone so _weird._ Occasionally in my hearing, too.

"Mine would ask the same question, generally more privately, but in no less bewildered a tone. You know, saying how could I give my love to someone so shallow, so fickle, so artificial. One friend even told me not to marry her. O swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon? So they told me."

"But they misused that quote, and I disagree with Shakespeare." Alice smiled here, remembering the first Shakespeare play that she had taken Lia to. "I would accept Alice's love it were sworn to me on the moon, the sun, her wand or a butterfly. Love can be constantly changing, always different, and still be there."

"In the end, for me, it's not about love. It's about trust. All of their other objections can be cast aside. Shallowness can be an illusion cast by bright light, and insincerity just your fault for not looking deep enough. And I know, in the same place where I know that I love Alice, that she would never choose to hurt me. I would put my life in her hands and more, I would put my heart. Maybe it's only gut feeling, a Hufflepuff's blind loyalty and faith, counter to evidence that more analytical Ravenclaws might throw at me. But it's my feeling, just like it's my love. And I know that that is right. So I, Amelia Naomi Creevey, take you Alice Luna Longbottom and will be joined with you in holy matrimony, for the rest of my life."

She'd begun her speech shyly, with more than a few throat-clearings and nervous glances at her notes. But she ended it with her gaze locked on Alice, and the minister again had to struggle to regain their attention.

Rose didn't need to rush forward to Alice with notes. She'd learned her speech, and she began it now.

"To start with, I'm going to say goodbye, and I love you all. Because I don't think I'll live much past today."

Her tone was entirely serious, and just as worried glances were being cast around, she spoke again. "Now, relax. I'm not about to announce that I have some terminal disease. Seriously, I wouldn't ruin our wedding day with a memory like that! No, it's only that my virtuous, pacifist, soon-to-be wife will kill me for what I'm about to do. Hopefully after we consummate our marriage though, I don't want to die before that."

Rose and Scorpius rolled their eyes in an identical motion that had Albus and Lily stifling a laugh.

"I'll get to the point. Writing our own speeches was my idea, to begin with. And I wrote one. Then another, then another. And they were all perfectly true, and praised my beloved to the skies. But it was all too pat. Too typical of words that I've said a thousand times before, compliments that slide from my tongue. Exaggerated metaphors, beautiful comparisons. Ever so dramatic. Ever so complex. Ever so insincere, no matter how much my heart meant it.

So I changed my mind. And I decided that maybe, occasionally, tradition has its place. Things aren't done a thousand times because they don't work, after all. So my speech isn't written by me at all, but by an anonymous person, many, many years ago."

She took breath and began. "I, Alice Luna Longbottom, take you, Amelia Naomi Creevey, Lia to me and to all whom we hold dear, to be my wife. To have and to hold from this day forth. In sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse. To honor and obey, to love and to cherish, to respect and to be faithful to, excluding all others, for as long as we both shall live. By the magic in me and the magic in you, in the name of all gods who may hear this, and in front of all these witnesses, this I do most solemnly vow."

She'd modified it only very slightly, but it was there. The same words which her parents, grandparents and great-parents had shared, and she noticed more than one couple in the congregation taking each other's hand. And Lia didn't look _too _much like she was annoyed that, after Alice having the idea that they should write their own vows, Alice had chickened out.

They moved on to the Leaky Cauldron then, to hold the reception. Neville and Hannah spent some time in activity, rallying their employees and ensuring that all of the food was laid out, but then relaxed into their lesser role.

It was while they were sitting down that Dennis and his wife came over to greet them. This was probably lucky, since they might have looked strange otherwise. Neville measured six foot two when he was barefoot. Hannah was used to her husband towering over her, since she was only average height and nine inches shorter than him. But Lia hadn't inherited her petite size from nowhere, and her parents were five foot seven and five foot two respectively, making Neville rather the giant of the group.

"Dennis!" Neville exclaimed good-naturedly. They'd not been close, but Dennis had been in the DA in Neville's seventh year, so that was a bond as strong as could be.

Introductions were made. As Neville had assumed, the small, blonde woman beside Dennis was indeed his wife and Lia's mother, Bethany. She was also the only Muggle present, which didn't seem to be worrying her.

"Lovely place," Dennis said politely but sincerely, gesturing around at the pub.

"All credit to my lovely wife," Neville replied. Hannah smiled. "She runs it while I'm working at Hogwarts."

"It's so strange thinking of a Hogwarts professor having kids," Dennis said thoughtfully. "Imagine McGonagall..."

After a moment's reflection, the three wizards burst into laughter. Even Bethany smiled, having heard enough stories of Dennis at school to know who they meant.

"It was really strange at first, having them all as colleagues when they used to teach me," Neville agreed.

"At least Snape wasn't there anymore," Hannah added. "That would have been interesting."

"Speaking of interesting..." Dennis waved a hand over the whole crowd to find Lia and Alice at the centre of it all. "Do you not mind about them taking the Creevey name?"

Neville and Hannah both shook their heads. "We've got three others to keep it up," Hannah replied. "Frank's already married, as well."

"So this isn't as strange for you as it is for us then?" Bethany asked.

"Not at all." Hannah said. "Mind you, our youngest, Sarah...well, I dread the day when she will get married. She's only in her third year at Hogwarts right now."

Neville's only response was a grimace.

Looking to change the subject, Dennis asked "Was everybody on your side okay with...well, them."

Neville's scowl deepened slightly, thinking of his eldest son. "Not at first. But they came around to it, eventually." His tone made it clear that they'd had no choice.

Dennis didn't say anything. Others might have been surprised by the uncharacteristically stern tone in Neville's voice, but Dennis had survived the war along with him. He knew all too well the cost of prejudice. All the more for Neville now because his parents had passed away in the previous year. Although that might have been a relief - Dennis didn't know Neville well enough to ask.

It was Bethany who spoke. "It's unbearable, isn't it. How slowly people seem to learn from the atrocities of the past."

Dennis and Hannah nodded in agreement. Neville began to nod, but then stopped. "At least they've learned something this time," he pointed out. "Just look at our daughters, or their friends."

"That's true enough," Hannah agreed. "Hufflepuffs never used to trust Ravenclaws, even if we weren't as bad as Gryffindor and Slytherin."

"Who are better now, too." Dennis added. "Lia's friend..." he looked at his wife for help.

"Aisha," she supplied. "She was a Slytherin, no? And she married a Gryffindor."

"She married _The _Gryffindor," Hannah commented. "You don't get much more Gryffindor than Harry Potter's son."

"Well, there's Harry Potter's daughter," Dennis put in. "A Slytherin, right?"

Neville and Hannah nodded. "So's our daughter," Neville said. "And I was worried, for a bit, that they might victimise her. But it's just not like that anymore."

"Not like how it was in our day," Hannah sighed.

Neville began to laugh. The others looked at him in surprise. "In our day?" he finally managed. "How old do you want us to sound? We sound like grandparents reminiscing. I'm not that old, not yet!"

"You're fifty-three," Hannah commented. "No spring chicken."

"Still too young to be a grandparent," Neville maintained stubbornly.

"It's our own fault," Dennis sighed. "If we didn't want to be grandparents too young, we shouldn't have married so young."

"Compared to us, they're waiting until they're old," Bethany agreed.

"They're only twenty-seven," Hannah argued. "We were twenty-five, true."

"I was twenty-one when I got married. And Bethany was eighteen," Dennis reminded them. "I was younger than you. Still am, old man."

"I bet I could still beat you in a duel though," Neville grinned.

Hannah rolled her eyes at Dennis' wife. "I think our daughters might kill you," she said mildly as they look about to rise to their feet. "Two old men fighting at their wedding reception, wrinkles and all."

* * *

It was much later on, when they had eaten their wedding meal, cut the wedding cake and danced the first dance that Alice and Lia separated for even a moment. Lia went to speak to her mother, and Alice stood alone. Then, seeing Lily re-enter the room, tidying her hair, she went over.

"I know those movements," she said casually, causing the younger girl to jump. "Straightening ourselves out after a little rendezvous? Who's the lucky guy….or girl, I suppose."

Lily, of course, denied everything.

"Seriously? You haven't put any of my tips to good use?"

"No! Well….maybe a few. Just not recently."

"I'll believe you," Alice sighed. "Thousands wouldn't."

"Your dress is beautiful," Lily said, changing the subject extremely clumsily for a Slytherin.

Alice sighed. "I'll actually let you get away with that, since this dress is gorgeous. Did you like the ceremony?"

Lily nodded, and seemed about to say something. When Alice pressed her, she sighed.

"Can I ask a question?"

Alice raised her eyebrows.

"Another question," she added hurriedly.

"Do continue, my dear. I'm hanging on your every word."

Lily hit her, not too hard. "How did you know that Lia was The One. Even if you've liked her for years, you've always had chances with other guys. Even if she wasn't interested, would you have persevered?"

"No," Alice admitted. "But that's because of who I am, and I would have been wrong. Especially if she was a boy – sometimes, they just take a while to realize what they want. But to answer your first question, I knew we had to be together forever because we _could _be together without either of us winding up in Azkaban. She could live with me – more, she made it easier for me to live with me. You heard me propose. It was all there. I know I'm not the easiest person to handle, but I know two things: if Lia was hurt, it'd upset me like nothing else and if she left, it would destroy me like nothing else. That was what decided it in the end."

She peered at Lia. "Anything you want to confess?" she asked teasingly.

Lily laughed, shaking her head. "I don't share my secrets," she told Alice.

"That means you have them!" Alice gasped, her smile becomingly dangerously smug. "You have to share them now."

"No way," Lily argued, enjoying the satisfaction of having first Alice, and then suddenly Aisha and Albus crowding around her, demanding to know her secret. At first she refused to tell them, but then she relented. At least, one of her secrets.

"It's not just my secret," she finally said.

"What's it to do with?" Albus asked.

"Love, money, family, job. Are you pregnant?" Alice asked.

"No!" she near-squealed, and made a mental note that she'd probably had enough to drink. "It's job, alright?"

"You got a promotion?" Aisha asked.

"Well, yes-" she began, but got no further. Congratulations burst in on her, and more and more people began to eavesdrop and then add their own good wishes.

"To Editor of the MagiSci department, yes." She replied. "Thank you, but-"

Eventually, it was Lorcan who saved her. He let out a piercing whistle.

"Did I know you could do that?" Lysander asked, who had been stood next to him and who was now rubbing his ears with a grimace.

"Probably not," he replied distractedly.

"Do you want to tell them, or should I?" Lily demanded.

"Lorcan knows?" Alice asked, confused.

"It's to do with Lorcan. It's thanks to Lorcan. You see, I'm not taking the promotion. I'm going with him on his next research trip, to write articles about what's happening first-hand."

this time, the congratulations were a little confused, but after assuring the third person that it really was what she wanted, Lily began to smile. She was looking forward to this so much. She loved writing, but she didn't trust any of the information that was sent to her. To see it first-hand would be an amazing opportunity. It was the perfect timing, too. Lily's room-mate from Hogwarts and for the six years after was getting married to a colleague at Flourish and Blotts. So soon Lily's living arrangements would be falling apart, making it a good time to travel the world.

The wedding went on into the night, Alice and Lia dancing throughout most of it, although they all shared dances for old times' sake, Alice and Lysander, the girls' together, Aisha and Scorpius. They reminisced like mad, remembering the last time that had all dressed up and danced like this – the 7th year graduation. It was good to be themselves again, even as they wondered how nine years had gone past, and relax (or worry) as their lives quite definitely moved into the next stage.

Albus approached Aisha, astounded once again at her ability to hide her true self from the world. From the way she laughed and the happy way she greeted him, you'd never guess that they'd had an argument last night. It had been about something ridiculously trivial - Albus, who was learning to drive, had been driving to Aisha's parents' home. It had been fine on the way there, but on the way back, Aisha's criticisms of his driving had nearly driven him up the wall, and led to him stopping the car on the way home and screaming at her to drive instead.

He knew why she was so eager to visit her parents. Rose's grandfather had died in early January, and Aisha had suddenly remembered how soon she could expect her family to die compared to everyone else.

"Sorry about yesterday," he murmured as he sat down next to her. There was a moment where he wasn't sure if she was going to look at him. That was how Aisha did arguments, with silences and sneering looks.

Then she did look at him. "It wasn't your fault," she murmured. She glanced around the room and, seeing a couple of wedding guests within eavesdropping distance, shut up immediately.

Albus sighed and got to his feet. Taking her hand, he pulled her to a standing position too.

"What are we doing?" Aisha asked, surprised.

"Going somewhere private," he muttered.

"But Lia and Alice-"

"Won't care. Trust me. If they even glance up from each other for more than ten seconds."

She let him tow her out of the downstairs room at the pub into an empty room upstairs. Within seconds, the door was locked, sealed and a Silencing charm put on the room.

"Paranoid, are we?" Aisha asked archly.

"I learn from the best," he told her.

She grinned. "It's not paranoia when they're actually out to get you. You know that the _Prophet _would love to get an article about us arguing."

"Not actually overhearing doesn't stop them from writing that. Just like it hasn't stopped them speculating that Lia is dosing Alice with Amortentia or vice versa. Or that Alice is doing this to anger her war-hero parents."

"Or that Rose has been put under Imperius by Draco Malfoy, or that Scorpius isn't actually the Malfoy's child." Aisha added.

"Or that you only married me because the Potter surname would help you in your career. That I'm just a useless dead weight, only surviving in my job because of my father." Albus said quietly.

"Al! You know that's not true, don't you? That I married you just because..."

"You can see how they get the impression."

"Why? Because we aren't like Lia and Alice, attached at the hip at any social event. Because we actually spend time apart? Because we aren't physically or vocally demonstrative like Rose and Scorpius? You're a Gryffindor, and that means you wear your heart on your sleeve. But I'm a Slytherin. I keep my heart safe, in my chest."

"I'm not very good at saying emotions aloud," Albus admitted. This wasn't exactly news to Aisha. "It took me a year to admit to myself that I liked you, and six more months to kiss you."

"I'm even worse," she retorted. "We'd been dating for four years before I told you that I loved you. Things just happen slowly with me. I don't trust people quickly. I don't make friends easily, not real friends who understand me. I don't think I had a friend in the eleven years before Hogwarts, not anyone who wouldn't have laughed at my innermost wishes and secrets."

She'd begun to pace, and as Albus looked at her, he suddenly saw what she might look like pacing back and forth with a baby in her arms, trying to soothe it. _She'd make a great mother, _he thought. _Strict, yeah, but it'd be for their good, so that they would grow into good people._

"What are you smiling at?" she asked.

"You," he said quietly. "How you can see everything months and years in advance, while the rest of us think about tomorrow and next week. How someone really boring can be talking, and you're laughing and nodding, and then you can look at me and I know that you're thinking, _how dull is he, _too. That you could tell me anything, if I can only see your eyes."

Aisha stared, open-mouthed at the outpouring of emotion. Eloquent emotion, too.

"And I'm scared," he continued. "We never...you're the only woman I've ever dated, only woman I've ever kissed, and I'm the only guy...right?" At Aisha's nod, he continued. "How do you know if I was the right one for you? You didn't even like me like that before I kissed you."

"So you think I was just letting it happen, too polite to change my mind? And talking about this before our wedding, _two years ago_, that didn't occur to you?"

"Two years, three months and four days," Albus replied. Aisha gaped at him.

"You forgot our anniversary, but you know that?"

He shrugged.

"I don't care. I could have kissed a thousand men, and still come back to you. I'm not much more in touch with my feelings than you are. So I didn't know if I liked you then - I didn't even think about it. But I know that I love you now." She sighed. "You learned about the Solar System at Primary School, right?"

Albus nodded, confused.

"Well, I'm the Earth. Yes, I can see further than you. Because I'm further out. Because you're the Sun, you're my warmth. I'd die without you. This _stupid _argument about driving. I'm sorry. I just...I wanted you to learn how to drive for the same reasons that I wanted to know how to drive. I don't know if all Muggleborns feel the same. I'm scared, Albus. I'm always scared. That one day, I'll wake up, and everything will be gone. Magic, this world, my friends, you. I learn to drive, because if it all goes, I want to be able to survive there."

"So, would you rather the magic disappeared, or me?"

"Neither. Obviously. But how can you ask that? The magic is you. There's magic in our love, and even if I couldn't use my wand, I'd still have magic. I looked at my sisters yesterday, and they look so old. So tired. You keep me young, Al, not the magic. You keep me going. You're the most important thing in my entire life. I'm sorry that I need a locked room to say all this, but it's our business. Rose and Scorpius and Alice and Lia can shout it to the world. We don't have to. It doesn't matter what they know, as long as we know the truth."

Albus kissed her then. And they took advantage of the bed in the room.

* * *

**Chapter title from If I Can't Have You by Kelly Clarkson**

**Just thought I'd include an Albus/Aisha moment, because we haven't had many of them. **

**x**


	59. Sweet As A Peach, But She's Ice Cold

**Thanks for reviewing: Joelle8, Likewow5556, silverbirch, Arlath's Star, TwistedRaver, SeekDreamsAndFindHope, anamolly2013, Doni, susiipie, Twisted Identity and Marciabarcia.**

**Lysander-dedicated chapter, to give him his dearly beloved. Quite long, with more description than dialogue - sorry. I wanted to give her a full description. She'll get some dialogue in one of our remaining chapters.**

* * *

**Chapter 59: She's As Sweet As A Peach, But She's Ice Cold**

**Lysander in Love - Spans 2034 to 2042**

Lysander Scamander had spent four years at university and graduated top of his class. He then spent three years at law school, and graduated top of that class. Finally, he spent an extra year qualifying him to take part in a new stream on law – neither purely magical or Muggle, but in cases involving both. Too often in the past, Muggles had simply been Obliviated – then their attackers had got off scot-free because there were no witnesses for the prosecution. Not all of his cases would be like this, but he would be one of few who could act on behalf of the Muggle victim.

A pressure group, which included famous names such as Hermione Weasley and Aisha Potter, had fought for change in this and at last it was coming. And Lysander intended to cash in.

When he finally began practising at law, as a Muggle barrister, for the prosecution, he excelled. His name began to be murmured in circles. In the London bars where Muggle lawyers spent time, he would be recognised, welcomed into conversation. He lost cases, of course. But never any that everyone hadn't agreed were impossible to win – that rare case where the defendant is indeed innocent and, more importantly, can prove it. Even then, he was talented at persuading clients to settle so that it never got to court.

He lived a wonderful life. A luxurious flat in a rich part of London, with every Muggle modern convenience. He attended his friend's weddings, always looking tanned and healthy from the foreign holidays he went on. Not to remote areas like Lily and Lorcan worked in – Lysander went to the hotels where you'd never really know you'd left England, were it not for the beautiful sunshine. He had a different girlfriend every week, and they still loved him as much as they had at Hogwarts.

The first time that he saw Regina Cottingley, he smirked. At the last minute, the firm who was representing the defendant in his trial had replaced another barrister with her. Sat behind the table, Regina reminded Lysander of Percy Weasley's wife, Audrey. Brunette, quiet-looking, with a pretty pink rosebud mouth.

When, two days later, he left the courtroom, he was quite shell-shocked. No quiet little wife there; that was a Gorgon! From the moment that Regina had stood up – and up, acres of shapely leg revealing themselves from beneath the defence table, his case had been lost.

They left the courtroom, the jury having delivered their damning verdict in favour of the defence only minutes earlier.

"Do you want to go for a drink?" she asked coolly, looking at him through slate-grey eyes that, Lysander was suddenly certain, hid a soul as calculating and ruthless as his own.

"Sorry, I've got to go and meet my brother," he lied. Go and curse the hell out of something,was closer to the truth.

"Well, another time," she said, smiling as if she knew that he was lying; worse, as if she knew that he was lying because his pride was hurt. Perfect white teeth showed, and Lysander knew that she was laughing at him.

He was barely civil in his goodbye, and he swept down the hall to a toilet where he could Apparate back to his flat and stew in his rage.

* * *

The next time they met in court, she beat him again. And afterwards, she asked for a drink again. Too angry, with himself more than anything, because he _knew _that the defendant had been guilty as sin, he didn't even remember what lie he had told last time.

"Can't, I'm afraid. My brother's in town."

"Gosh, you must be close to him." Her tone was as airy and innocent as Alice or Lysander's ever was when they flirted or mocked someone.

Lysander frowned in confusion, then he remembered in a burst of clarity that he'd used Lorcan as an excuse last time.

"We're twins," he answered brusquely, and walked away.

* * *

The third time they met in court, Lysander's client won. Admittedly, her convincing pleas for leniency had swayed the jury slightly and the sentence was half what it ought to be, but still!

He didn't expect Regina to ask him for a drink this time; he was right.

She didn't ask – she assumed.

"I suppose that you can buy me dinner, since you're in a good mood now," she said, hooking her arm through his.

He stared down at it. "I might be busy, for all you know," he pointed out.

"Is your brother in town?" she asked sweetly.

"My girlfriend is," he lied.

"Then she can join us. Three's never a crowd in my opinion."

That evening ended rather predictably, at Lysander's flat in the bedroom. But when Lysander awoke the next morning, Regina had already left. For such a conniving witch, she'd been good company.

* * *

He didn't see her again for a month. When he did, she was in a bar chatting to some other lawyers, most of whom he knew.

He wandered over, introductions were made – and the night ended in the same way as it had four weeks ago, at Lysander's flat.

The pattern continued after that. If they met in a bar, they would end up going home together. The next time they met in court, Lysander won again, and they ended up going home together.

The time after that, Regina won.

"Suppose I'll see you around?" she purred as they left the courtroom.

"When you pay the bill for tonight's dinner," Lysander replied, slinging an arm easily around her waist. With her stiletto heels adding to an already formidable height, putting the arm around her shoulders wasn't very comfortable.

Neither of them noticed time passing. Neither of them noticed that they were picking up other people in bars less and less – these days, if Regina wasn't there then Lysander usually went home alone, which never used to happen, and vice versa.

They didn't notice, either, that their trysts went from once a month to once a week, then to twice.

* * *

Three years later, Lysander was shuffling his papers in court, eagerly anticipating the entry of his learned colleague and the defence attorney – Regina Cottingley.

When Andrew Mackintosh walked in instead, his jaw nearly dropped. But he maintained his expression just in time.

After that day's evidence, he approached Andrew and asked, as casually as he could, why Andrew was defending rather than Regina, whose name was on the information he had received.

His jaw did drop at the answer he received. Regina was on a year's exchange, joining a team of hotshot defence lawyers in Singapore for a case that was both famous and 'hush-hush' Andrew had said, tapping his nose and giving Lysander a wink.

Lysander would have pulled his wand out and cursed the man there and then, had he not spent thirteen years in the Muggle world. The impulse to punch him in the nose came sooner. An impulse that Lysander, thankfully, managed to suppress.

He told himself that it was nothing important as he walked out of the courtroom.

A fortnight later, when he hadn't yet been out to a bar, he forced himself to leave. He was welcomed in by his colleagues, and more than one woman made it very clear that they would be amenable if he was bored that night.

But he spent the night alone. And the next night. And the one after that.

A month had gone by before he realised the problem. Going to a bar was boring without that mystery of whether Regina would be there. Drinking with his colleagues was boring without being able to meet Regina's eyes and exchange silent words of mockery about the others. And he didn't want to take anyone else home, certainly didn't want to wake up to anyone else – it surprised him the one time that he did try to bring another girl home, waking up with the bed still full of another inhabitant. He was too accustomed to Regina's pre-dawn vanishing.

It was 2037, and Lia had just given birth to her and Alice's first child. The Muggle world had been capable of two women giving birth for nearly twenty years; the wizarding world had lagged behind by over a decade. Rose had finally worked out why Lia had been jealous at Rose's wedding, after some discussion with Scorpius. And then she'd engaged the full power of her own research contacts, not to mention the political power of her family, to find a way for same-sex wizarding couples to have children. So Alice and Lia were now the third pair of witches to have a baby.

Lysander spent a great deal of time with them, and with their daughter – only to decide that children were not really an ideal for him. When they were so incapable of intelligent conversation, what was the point?

Alice, unfortunately, knew him too well. And was too good at questioning. Lysander stayed with them for a week, and Alice had discovered Regina's existence by day four. She worked out what Lysander had not – namely, that he was in love with her.

She told him this on the last day of his stay. He vehemently denied it.

He was back a week later, admitting that she was right. And asking for advice, although he made sure to throw in a pointed comment about her being the last person he should ask.

Though she'd agreed, Alice also had the temperament closest to Lysander – and, she suspected, closest to the mysterious Regina. So she suggested what she would have wanted – not a slow re-getting to know each other when Regina returned, but an abrupt display at the airport.

* * *

In May 2038, that was exactly what Lysander did. As Regina returned, he went down on one knee, offered her a ring – and proposed that they started to date exclusively, rather than just have sex whenever they meet.

After the initial pale-faced shock and terror at the ring-and-one-knee routine, Regina agreed.

It was a bad year to choose – Aisha miscarried and lost her baby in September of that year, and Lysander was hardly ever home, between working a full day and then rushing to the wizarding world to be with her and Albus, as all of their friends were by turns.

A lot of things happened that year. Lysander finally asked why Regina always vanished before dawn – she told him that she went back to her own flat.

"I've never visited it." Lysander stated bluntly. He'd realised this in the year that Regina was away – he didn't even know where it was.

"I don't bring anyone back there. My brother lives across the hall, you see, and he'd tell my father if I ever brought anybody home, or if I didn't come home one night. Sneaky little snitch," she'd added, curling her lip.

"Would he really mind that much? This is the twenty-first century, after all."

"And I'm the daughter of a viscount. Apparently I ought to be a virgin when I marry."

The conversation had had to be discontinued, as Lysander burst into snorts of laughter.

It had been his turn later on for some involuntary sharing. She'd come to his home one evening, letting herself in – she knew where the spare key was by now, only to get a shock when the fireplace burst to life and Lysander tumbled out. After all of his precautions, it was more than slightly annoying.

The Wizarding World is difficult to take in, but she adapted – slowly. Lysander didn't tell her that it was a good thing she'd accepted it – otherwise he'd have simply Modified her memory. Mind you, she'd probably guessed. And she'd probably understand. She understood about having to do things that you didn't always want to. She would have made a fine Slytherin.

Being exclusive didn't seem like such a hardship.

* * *

Lysander met Regina's parents in 2041. It was a nice break from the campaigning that he was doing in the Wizarding World for Aisha's election to Minister for Magic, and he came off quite well. It helped that various Scamanders had published in Muggle journals too, because they didn't just look at magical beasts when they were out there.

It went so well, in fact, that Regina moved in with Lysander two months later.

He still hadn't told anybody but Alice – who had told nobody but Lia. Who hadn't told anybody, because Lia wouldn't do that.

They discussed a lot that year. Regina insisted on it. She was thirty five years old, and she knew that her fertile window was rapidly passing – if it hadn't passed already. But she didn't want children, and that was why she'd never worried in her late twenties when she wasn't settling down – her biological clock was missing a battery.

Now she'd found out that she loved Lysander, and her worst nightmare was that he would want children. Especially with the magic thing. She knew that she would die soon, compared to him. Witches and wizards have an average age of one hundred. And if she gave birth to a Muggle baby, Lysander would probably survive to bury it.

But he didn't. That was an interesting conversation. Neither wanted to say that they didn't want them, in case the other did, so it was an exercise in dancing around the truth – both of them, being lawyers, were practised at realising the truth behind the dancing however, and the problem was resolved.

Lysander grew tired, however, of correcting people when he and Regina went places together – to restaurants, to bars. They assumed she was his wife.

And as he turned 36, in the June of 2042, he decided to make her so. He proposed in October, six months away from her birthday in March.

His reasons for doing so at that particular time couldn't be more practical. They would then have a reason to celebrate (aka go on holiday or to an extremely expensive restaurant or buy each other things) at evenly spaced times throughout the year.

She said yes, of course. Their wedding date was planned for the same day, in a year's time. Now, there was only the telling of Lysander's family and friends to face.

* * *

**Chapter title from 'The Airplane Song'. Scouting For Girls**

**x**


	60. One Day

**Thanks for reviewing: Arlath's Star, shine lots, TwistedRaver, SeekDreamsAndFindHope, Marciabarcia, anamolly2013, silverbirch, Twisted Identity, susiipie, CelticGoddess1986, Likewow5556, Doni and, erm, anonymous? Sorry, you didn't leave a name, but thanks for the review!**

**EDIT: Thanks for the idea to anamolly2013. I just added in a little Lily/Lorcan moment.  
EDIT: Thanks to Arlath's Star for typo corrections**

* * *

**Chapter 60: One Day**

**June 2042 - An Election Result**

The sun was dawning on a beautiful June morning. Only a fortnight ago, they had all gathered for the twins' birthdays. They still got together quite often, once in every fortnight, Lorcan being the only regular absentee. There were no longer only eight of them now, of course. Rose and Scorpius had two sons, aged five and seven. The youngest would be in the same year at Hogwarts as Alice and Lia's oldest daughter, the eldest of two (soon to be three). Their second daughter was three years old, just, and would be in the same Hogwarts year as Albus and Aisha's only child, Harriet.

But now, there was a far more important event than anyone's birthday. Aisha had rapidly risen in the ranks of the Magical Law Enforcement department, becoming Head at the very young age of 32.

She'd planned to wait a few more years before running for Minister of Magic – because, of course, you now had to run. Gone were the days when the Wizenmagot picked their favourite from an exclusive group. Now, although someone had to be nominated by the Wizenmagot, the rest was down to the public. That was thanks to her aunt-in-law, of course, along with a number of other influential Muggleborns and half-bloods, who were horrified by the fact that Wizarding Britain wasn't even a democracy. And being nominated wasn't a problem. Aisha had never had trouble making allies, and there were enough ears into which she could drop a hint.

But she'd wanted to wait, to maybe have a child and then run for election. Two things had thrown a spanner into the works. One, her miscarriage, only three months after becoming Head of her department. Two, Scorpius' cousin. Or second cousin, or something like that. Nobody had the patience to work it out.

Christopher Warrington, a Ravenclaw who had been four years above Aisha, had also been nominated. And they might have nodded at this and continued in ignorance, if not for Narcissa. She'd heard something, and told her son, who had told his son, who had told his best friend, who had told his wife.

Aisha hadn't been able to believe something fourth-hand, however. So she'd gone directly to Narcissa, who had confirmed it.

Warrington was running as part of a plan. A plan that had, in fact, been years in the making. Before his birth – even before his parents married. The Averys, the Notts, the Warringtons, the Greengrasses, the Moons – all the remnants of the old families. It had been a plan to get one of their own into power, so that laws could be changed back in their favour, and so that they could wage another war for supremacy.

Warrington had been groomed from birth to be the one. He'd been told to ask for Ravenclaw, rather than Slytherin. So that others would relate to him. He'd made friends with every pureblood going, and pretended ignorance of prejudice. His alliances were strong - his wife was Patricia Warrington, born Patricia Nott, who carried much of her generation's Slytherin vote. But their plans had been undone by being too eager to collect people in the know. They'd attempted to recruit Narcissa, and then Draco. A mistake on their part. Not all of the old families thought another war was such a good idea.

A mere two weeks later, Samuel Nott visited Astoria, with the same story. Then Violetta Goyle, who had been in Aisha's year in Slytherin, had approached Aisha, saying her parents, too, had been contacted. And, to top it all off, Blaise Zabini arrived at Malfoy Manor, explaining that his own wife was part of the plan.

"_How lucky it was, that I happened to get into that boat on my first evening" _Aisha ruminated. The news had prompted her into action. She had launched her own, counter-campaign.

She was helped by the most unlikely of campaigners. The Slytherin ghost. Rose and Scorpius had been having dinner at Black Manor, with Draco and Astoria - to Rose's surprise, she and Draco's wife got on well, and they always tried to meet up once a month for a meal. Lucius and Narcissa had even joined them a few times, and Rose had witnessed what was possibly the best acting in her life as Lucius Malfoy was cordial to her.

She didn't realise that Lucius had discovered the benefit of a granddaughter with dirty blood. Lucius had been an only child. So had Draco. So was Scorpius. All three had been born with a difficulty that increased down the generations. Then Rose, with new blood from her mother and the legacy of fertility from the Weasleys had entered. And she and Scorpius had not one, but two sons. Something that had thrilled Lucius, obsessed with heirs and ancestry, to the core. He still disliked that the heirs had unclean blood from Rose's mother, but tried to reassure himself with the knowledge that the Weasleys, blood-traitors or not, were pure-blooded for generations.

Half-way through their last meal, Draco had stopped talking half way through a sentence. His face drained of colour, he stared at a point just behind Rose - when she turned to look, she saw the ghost who had haunted Hogwarts since the Battle, who must have been a Slytherin, who looked no older than a student but whose name had been kept secret by the Professors.

_"Pansy!" Draco had gasped, and Rose had understood. She'd heard tales from her parents about Pansy Parkinson, but not many - though they had been enemies at school, Hermione and Ron couldn't be happy about the death of the eighteen year old girl, even if they were far more upset over deaths of other students, younger or better-liked. Rose had secretly pitied Pansy - always described as ugly, reminding her slightly of Alice in her quickness to gossip. Rose knew that Alice's behaviour came from a wish to be accepted - maybe Pansy's had too. Even if it hadn't, it must be terrible to be dead and to have almost nobody mourn your passing._

_After a long conversation, in which Astoria was silent (it is never fun to meet your husband's eighteen year old ex-girlfriend and a girl who once cast the Cruciatus on you, even if they are a ghost), it became apparent that Pansy had haunted all of her old friends for a long time. She had always been nosy, and now that she was a ghost and could become invisible, she could fulfill that wish to her heart's desire. But even the dead change, and Pansy didn't want another war. Maybe seeing all the students, young and innocent in a way that her generation had never been, had brought that wish to be born, but now she promised that she would do all she could to help Aisha win the election, Mudblood or not. _

_And a ghost who can spy on your enemies, who can spread seeds of doubt amongst their supporters in the dark, who can whisper to students just turned seventeen and capable of voting, proves to be very helpful._

It was going well, as far as she could tell. Polls one week would have her leading, with Warrington a few points behind, then the next week they would reverse. She had the best 'celebrity' endorsements, but that wouldn't win her the election. The surname Potter might win her some points, and wearing the Slytherin badge might take some of those who would otherwise have voted for Warrington. Aisha promised honesty – Warrington promised jobs. Aisha promised to listen – Warrington swore he would help. But their policies, in the end, made little difference. It wasn't the Wizenmagot who made the real difference. This was all about them, as people.

The voting had been done yesterday, all of Aisha's friends and extended family turning up to cast their votes, even those who had to return from far-away continents. Now, the votes were coming in. Results would be announced on the WWN at midday. Neville and Hannah had volunteered the Leaky Cauldron, as a better place to meet than a stale office block. But Aisha knew she wouldn't be able to have a good enough mask in place for those few moments, if she didn't win.

So they were all going to her election headquarters, the top of a tall building in Hoffisch Alley. She was there first, of course, having been barely able to sleep the night before. Although Albus had done his best to distract her, as had her two year old daughter.

* * *

"Amy!" Lia called. "Have you got your headband on?"

The five year old pouted. "My hair stays on fine without it though," she complained.

"Tough. We'll be Portkeying there, and I don't want you to look messy." Giving her daughter the Look, Lia easily won the argument.

She glanced at the other two children, who were sitting opposite each other in dead silence. Sophia wore the dress that had been her third birthday present only a month ago. Sophia , like her sister Amy, had inherited Lia's genes for the most part, with wavy blonde hair and easily tanned skin. It was too early to tell how tall they would grow, although Sophia had also inherited Alice's poor eyesight, and wore glasses that matched Harriet's, who had inherited Al's eyesight.

"Sophia, Harriet?" Lia said. "Do you want to walk or be in the chair?"

"Walk!" Sophia cried.

Harriet frowned. "Dad uses chairs," she informed Lia, her eyes as round and green as her father's. It was about the only thing of the Potter family that Harriet had inherited - other than her vivid green eyes, Harriet was the spitting image of Aisha. Lia had volunteered to look after Harriet, once Aisha had to go back to work, since she was already at home with her own two children.

She'd offered to take Scorpius and Rose's sons as well, but Narcissa had insisted on looking after them, although by her time of life, the active seven year old and five year old must be wearing her out.

"Dad probably does use chairs," Lia agreed. "But since it's a special occasion, it's up to you."

"Walk, walk, walk!" Sophia cried excitedly.

Harriet stared at her friend. "Walk," she agreed.

"Let's go then," Lia smiled. "We just have to go to Hogwarts first, to pick up Mum."

Deciding what their children should call them had been tough for Alice and Lia. Albus had suggested that Alice should be Dad. Rose had hit him. Not too hard, but enough to make him swear – something that caused little Percy, Rose's then-two year old son, to giggle.

In the end, they decided Alice was Mum, and Lia was Mummy. If the children wanted to change it when they were older, then that would be fine. But they didn't want to be called by their names just yet.

Shooing the children out of the door, a smile came to Lia's face. It still struck her anew, every now and again, how wonderful it was to have had children. She'd wanted them all of her life, and it had been the hardest part of realising that she loved Alice. The two had rejoiced so much when Lia had become pregnant that first time, and all the more when she gave birth. The pain had been agonising, but unlike Rose (who had cursed Scorpius solidly throughout labour), Lia's mantra had been 'we're having a baby, we're having a baby', and the wonder of that statement had brought her through.

When she'd first started the process of trying to develop a way for two witches to have a baby, Rose had told Alice about the possibility, but Alice hadn't passed the idea on until it was a definite, not wanting to raise Lia's hopes. Lia had cried tears of joy when she found out, and as she rested her hand on her stomach, swollen with pregnancy for the third time. (Alice loved their children, and had wanted to have them too, but was all too happy to let Lia have the honour of carrying them for nine months).

* * *

Alice pointed her wand at the blackboard, clearing away the instructions for that lesson's Potion-making. "Twelve feet on six different ways in which the Swelling Solution can be altered for different purposes," she told her class. "Class dismissed."

As the fifth-years trooped out of the Potions lab where she had worked for the past five years, she packed away the flasks containing their potions. They would have to be marked later. She ran a quick eye over the room. "All fires turned off, all perishable ingredients packed away…great," she muttered.

Turning her wand on herself, she Transfigured her black robes into dress robes of a baby blue. The school rules required you to teach in black robes – but there was no rule against fitted, attractive ones. Or ones which colour-changed, like these which Lia had bought her. They were perfect, as Alice refused to attend the school meals dressed in black, as though every day was a funeral.

She let her hair down from the bun in which she kept it during brewing, to keep it safe from the fumes. It fell perfectly into loose curls, as it had been conditioned to do by a potion of her own design.

With a last, cursory look over her classroom, she left and locked the door. Hurrying up the stairs in eagerness, she reached the Entrance Hall only a few minutes after the class she had just dismissed.

"Mum, Mum!" Two voices clamoured, as two small children rushed towards her. She bent and scooped them both up. Lia cast a discreet Feather-Light charm on them, allowing Alice to balance both on her shoulders.

"Looking forward to this?" she asked.

Sophia nodded excitedly. Amy giggled. "We get to Portkey," she reminded her mother.

"And that's the most special thing that's happening today, for them," Lia sighed. "I don't think they get it. History might be made today."

"Let's not count our votes before they're in," Alice cautioned. She smiled at Harriet. "Hey there! Looking forward to seeing your parents?" Harriet nodded mutely. Not the loudest of children, Alice always intimidated her into silence.

She had a similar effect on many of her students. The girl who had spent her adolescence wanting to be noticed, found that she still knew how to hold people's attention, transmitting disapproval through a look rather than desire. Alice honestly enjoyed being a Professor, finding that it added an unpredictability and variability to her life that she had missed in her old job simply making Potions. And she enjoyed the human contact, not to mention the fact that she could share knowledge, as she 'd liked doing since she'd been a little girl.

There were mutters about family conspiracies, what with Neville being the Headmaster now. And one of the best Headmasters that the school had ever seen. At least, Alice thought so. Even if, like Albus, she could have made a list of the things that were wrong with having your dad be your boss.

Alice brushed her fingers over Lia's protruding belly then kissed her lightly on the lips as the two walked out of the doors, Amy twirling a finger in her mother's blonde ringlets. Alice valiantly didn't wince, despite the painful tugging on her scalp that this caused.

"Professor?" someone said, right at the last moment.

Alice stopped walking. "Stevens?" she returned.

"I just wanted to say, good luck to your friend in the election. I hope she wins," the gangly Ravenclaw fifth-year stammered.

Alice turned and graced the blushing student with a rare smile. "Thank you. We all do." She glanced at her eldest daughter, on her left shoulder. "Thank the boy, Amy," she instructed.

"Thank you," Amy chorused obediently, Sophia echoing her.

"Don't forget to smile," Alice reminded them.

"Teaching our daughters to flirt already?" Lia asked in an undertone.

"Just a few handy hints. They need them if they're going to find as rare a treasure as I did."

Lia smiled, touched. Holding Harriet's hand firmly in her left hand, she reached out her right. Alice fished out the necklace that she wore.

"What's the password?" Alice asked, clutching her daughters tightly.

"Night-time fights!" Sophia said eagerly.

"Night-time flights," Alice corrected. "With an l."

As they felt the usual tugging sensation, Lia rolled her eyes at her wife. "You're such a _professor_," she teased.

* * *

"Duck!"

Albus ducked. He and Scorpius were fighting side-by-side.

"Today, of all days," he cursed. "Paperwork for three weeks, and then a report comes in of a Dark artefact transaction and we just _have _to be the lucky ones who get sent."

"Worried what darling wifey will say if you're late?" Scorpius teased.

"Aren't you worried what your darling wifey will _do _if you're late?" Albus retorted. Scorpius winced, and not from any curse.

"I'd face a dozen Dark wizards before an angry Rose," he admitted.

"Ditto about Aisha," Albus agreed. "She wouldn't hex me like Rose, she'd just be bitingly sarcastic."

"Then let's face the dozen wizards," Scorpius roared, suddenly standing above their makeshift shelter and firing a volley of spells. The Auror team which he had led for the past three years followed his lead, Albus included.

He ducked down again. "On my order," he whispered, only loud enough for his own men to hear him. "Me, Potter, Buckley, Kirke, head for the left. Holroyd, Bright, Andrews, Johnson, to the right. Holroyd, once you meet me at the other side, stop. We're surrounding them, got it?"

* * *

Rose frowned at the page, scribbling something out with her quill. "No, not Manticore spine. So what?" she wondered aloud. Then she sighed. "Ugh, I'm obviously not going to be able to concentrate today," she admitted. "I might as well get gone now."

She stood up and said her goodbyes to the three others who shared her office. None of them had reacted to her talking to herself – it wasn't exactly unusual around there.

Grabbing her bag as she left, she headed out the door, only to be stopped by the sight of Narcissa, waiting with her two sons. She greeted all three with a hug and a kiss. Both of the sons had been unfortunate enough to inherit the Malfoy chin, as Scorpius called it, and the Ronald nose, as Rose called it. Both looked comical on such young children, and Rose fervently hoped that they would grow into the features, as Scorpius and Ron had.

Percy – or Perseus Malfoy – gazed up at her. "When are we meeting Aisha?" he wanted to know. His hair was, like Rose's, a mass of wild curls, although in more of a strawberry blonde shade than Rose's vivid ginger. Neither child had Rose's blue eyes, instead inheriting Scorpius' grey ones. Lee had muddy brown hair that he must have got from his maternal grandmother, and already showed signs of the gangly limbs of his maternal grandfather.

Having just learned the power of asking questions, he was very fond of them. One question he had recently come up with was – why are all our names short whilst Dad's is long?

The reason being that Rose would only consent to allowing her children traditional constellation names if they were ones which would shorten acceptably. Hence Perseus and Leo became Percy and Lee.

"Now," Rose told him, turning to Narcissa. "Thanks for bringing them here," she said gratefully. "Aisha will need support as soon as we can."

"It wasn't a problem," the older witch replied. "Good luck to your friend."

Nodding her thanks, Rose took hold of both of her sons and spun on the spot. The crack as they Disapparated echoed through the air.

* * *

Lysander scowled at the queue ahead of him. Someone had decided that putting unisex toilets in the courtroom was a fantastic idea, cutting waiting times – for women. For men, it was an irritation. And for Lysander, who only needed a quiet spot to Disapparate, it was a disaster.

Court had adjourned late, unfortunately. It was only supposed to be a simple burglary case, but the defence lawyer had for some reason decided to throw in every sort of psychological reason for theft that was possible.

If it wouldn't have harmed his career, Lysander would have dropped the case then and there, just to get out of the courtroom.

Turning on his heel, he strode away in search of a different quiet place. Times like this were the only moments when he wished that he worked in a wizarding environment, where he could display magic without bringing the Obliviators down on his head.

* * *

Aisha paced back and forth, anxiety twisting her pretty features. She was alone in her office – her staff knew when she wanted privacy, or at least when she only wanted the chosen few.

And some of them were there. Rose, sons in tow, came rushing into the room. The two women had barely had chance to talk before Lysander followed.

He greeted Lee with a manly clap on the back, before hugging him tightly. Then he turned to Percy. "How's it going?" he asked gravely.

Percy thought for a moment and then nodded, equally serious. "Okay," he replied. "I dropped my milk this morning."

"Shame," Lysander sympathised. Rose rolled her eyes.

"I'll tell you what is a shame," she whispered to Aisha. "That Lysander hasn't got married yet and had kids. He's not even brought anyone to meet us!"

Lysander, somehow overhearing, called out, "I'm not bringing anyone to meet you until they've a ring on their finger and they can't back out once they realise the insanity that I call my friends."

"Mummy!" Harriet rushed into the room, tripped and fell.

"Harry!" Aisha hurried forward. "It's good to see you," she said, ignoring the lip that threatened to tremble. She kissed the knee. "All better now, right?"

Harriet nodded. "Right as rain," she replied.

And she would never know why the adults laughed.

_

* * *

_Lorcan tried not to breathe. The slightest noise, the slightest movement might scare away the beast which he was watching.

Suddenly he felt a body beside him, and a voice whispered. "We have to go. The election results are in half an hour."

He glanced at Lily and then back at the beast, worry in his eyes. Lily sighed. "Don't worry, I cast Muffliato. Doesn't change the facts though."

"But this is the first time we've been able to observe it," Lorcan protested. "We can't leave now."

"What are you more frightened of, losing this animal or having Aisha mad at you?"

Saying nothing, he prepared to Disapparate.

A moment later, Lily followed him. "What took you so long?" he asked.

"Setting up a MagiCam. That way we can watch what it did when we get back." She smiled. "I know, I'm a genius. Who doesn't want to lose the potential article that that beast can provide."

Lily now had a regular wildlife column in the Prophet, and was often writing articles for Luna's Quibbler, which she loved. You could throw in all the fact you know, and then a bit of fiction that could be true, and then something so completely fantastical that it was almost impossible to believe. The mix of them all was what made the articles so oddly enthralling.

"I love you," he said, entirely serious, and then turned and continued rushing up the stairs.

Lily stared after him, open-mouthed. She'd loved him for years...but they'd never said it to each other before. Regaining her senses, she hurried after him.

A few minutes later, they strolled into Aisha's office. Alice was luckily distracted with catching up with Lysander, else she would have noticed Lily's suspiciously swollen lips.

"God, you're more pregnant by the day," Lily exclaimed at the sight of Lia.

"That is the point," Rose said dryly. "You'd worry if she got less pregnant. Idiot."

"Speaking of idiots, where is my brother?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to hex him and Scorpius if they're not here in time," Rose threatened. The others laughed. You'd never guess that it was a pair of feared Aurors about which she was talking.

"Is the baby kicking yet?" Lily asked curiously. Vaguely surprised, because Lily never paid any interest to what was happening with babies, Lia nodded, and let Lily feel her stomach.

Five to twelve.

Three minutes to.

The radio was switched on, where they were playing one last song.

Downstairs, Albus and Scorpius Apparated onto the bottom step, and didn't even falter as they began to run for it.

Just as the radio was beginning the one minute countdown, they burst into the room.

"Never doubted you for a minute," Aisha told her husband.

"There's that politician's face. But I thought you swore honesty," he joked.

"10, 9, 8…"

They stood there, together. Not eight any more, not students any more. They weren't stuck in their defined families though. Lia had her hand on Aisha's shoulder, Albus with his arm around her waist. Harriet in her father's arms. Amy wrapped in Lia's other arm. Alice with her arm around Lia's shoulders, Sophia stood defiantly, rather than being carried. Scorpius next to Albus, his own sons cross-legged on the floor. Rose leaning over them, her every muscle tight with anticipation. Lily next to her cousin, eyes bright and cheeks flushed. Lorcan behind her, Lysander beside him.

"5, 4, 3…."

All interlinked. Albus suddenly spun his wife to him and kissed her, holding the kiss as the radio announced,

"And the results are in! Elected by you, as our Minister for Magic, we have Aisha Potter."

Beyond the office, people broke into applause and hugged each other. Inside, people were doing exactly the same thing. Albus and Aisha had not yet broken their kiss and Rose and Scorpius had decided to follow suit, to Percy's disgust.

Lily hugged Lorcan delightedly, then Lysander.

They could only have a few minutes together, of course.

Soon someone rushed in, the radio being desperate for a quote from the new Minister. And Aisha, eyes dry and a gentle smile on her face, happily descended to the front steps of her building to give her first speech as the Minister for Magic of Great Britain.

* * *

**Chapter title is the name of a song from the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack, to which I always imagine them all arriving at Aisha's office from their various places of work.**

**And I decided to introduce democracy to the Wizarding World. They were sort of backwards in not having it, and I can't imagine that state continuing forever. And I thought that since they come of age at seventeen, that's probably when they'd be able to vote. **

**And this actually takes place during the previous chapter, a year before the end of it. So we're a bit before Lysander and Regina get engaged, but after they are serious about each other.**

**x**


	61. God I'm The Lucky One

**Thanks for reviewing: Marciabarcia, SeekDreamsAndFindHope, sylphides, Doni, anamolly2013, jcmutt, shine lots, Likewow5556, Arlath'sStar, ModernDayRapunzel, TwistedRaver, Twisted Identity, anonymous and Joelle8.**

**Last actual chapter...how did we get here so fast?**

**This was where I originally intended to leave the story, but I couldn't stop. Sorry. Please, feel free to stop reading here. There will be four more chapters, one not actually a chapter - just a collection of drabbles I couldn't post earlier because they contained spoilers. The three chapters after that will cover the funerals of our characters.**

**Thank you all, so much, for reading this far. I'm going to miss these characters...but I won't do a maudlin Author's Note yet, not until I have to write the funerals.**

**Okay, I tried to mention as few of the other family members as possible, so as not to be too confusing. Ages: 36 for our eight and 34 for Lily. Varying ages for the cousins and their children, and Harry, Ron and Hermione are 63 years old! Whoa.**

* * *

**Chapter 61: God, I'm The Lucky One**

**Christmas All Together - December 2043**

Structured chaos was possibly the only way to describe it. These events happened only once every four years. With such a huge family, you'd not expect the Weasleys to ever be able to gather in one room, but they somehow still managed it. It was so difficult to organise, of course, that they'd agreed to only have a huge Weasley Christmas every four years, where all the children and grandchildren would go to the Burrow rather than the homes of other grandparents or their spouse's parents. They managed to gather everyone better than you might expect - the only missing person was Fred, who was away with the England Quidditch team, trying to qualify for the next stage of the World Cup.

Too many cooks spoil a broth, as everyone knows, so Molly was still reigning supreme over the kitchen, with only Fleur and Scorpius judged as competent enough cooks to help her. Nearly everyone had arrived. Tradition was that they ate Christmas dinner first, and then opened gifts. As Roxanne and her family Flooed in, people began to good-naturedly complain. They were getting hungry, and all they were waiting for now was Lily.

Aisha was repeatedly being told to sit down – nine months pregnant and due to go any day now, she was supposed to be less active. But like with their first child, she refused to even slow down until the baby was born.

The doorbell made a 'boing' noise that might once have been a chime, before Fred or George got hold of it. Albus hurried to get it, throwing it wide open. "Took your time," he began, and then his brain registered what his eyes were seeing, and his mouth fell open. "Baby?" he asked.

"Please tell me that that's not your nickname for Aisha," Rose told him, rolling her eyes. "I know you're unoriginal, but really?"

"It's not," Lily said, stepping in through the open doorway. "He's just in shock."

"Lorcan?" Albus asked, as the brown-haired boy followed Lily through the door. "Is that you?"

"You've known him for twenty-five years, Al," Lily said mockingly. "You'd think you'd recognise him by now."

All movement was slowly drawing to a halt, as people's gazes became fixed on Lily, Lorcan, and the bundle of blankets in her arms.

"A baby?" Rose asked. "When did you have a baby?"

"Four months ago," Lily said casually.

"Lily Luna Potter," Ginny said warningly. "Answers. Now."

Lily's green eyes met her mother's brown pair, and she decided to obey.

"Lorcan and I have been married for six months," she began, ignoring the dropped jaws and open mouths that this statement caused. "Alameda is our daughter."

"Married?" Molly cried, before turning accusingly to Ginny. "Why is it that your offspring seem determined to deny me any involvement at their wedding?" she demanded.

Ginny sighed, even as she reached out her hands to take Lily's baby. "That's not true, Mum," she protested.

"Two daughters!" Molly countered.

"Um, Rose is my daughter," Ron reminded her, an amused smile gracing freckled features. As his hair had begun to thin, it was possible to see that the freckles even extended onto his scalp.

As Ginny teased her mother, Hermione frowned at Lorcan. "Do your parents know?" she asked.

Lorcan shook his head, and Lily answered for him. "We thought we should see you first, since it is a Weasley Christmas year."

"It'll be alright," Lorcan added.

Molly had recovered enough to hear this last sentence, and she visibly swelled. "No, it will not be!" she said. "You will fetch your parents right now, tell them, and they can join in with our Christmas. They're our in-laws now anyway, and we've got plenty of food."

Nobody disagreed with Molly Weasley when she was in a determined mood, and Lorcan, for once, was not the exception to the rule.

He nodded obediently and headed towards the fireplace.

Little Alameda, like Roxanne's five-month baby, was being passed around like an exceptionally cute parcel. Although they tried to show her to the other children, only Lucy's thirteen year old daughter showed any interest, whilst Molly's daughter, also thirteen, recoiled dramatically from the squirming bundle.

Lily didn't object to being relieved of her child, walking over to sit beside Aisha.

"You've been going out for ages, haven't you?" Aisha asked softly.

"You knew?" Lily gasped, shocked.

Aisha shook her head. "Not that it was Lorcan," she explained. "Just that you were dating somebody. I did think it might be Scorpius, for a while."

"Oh no. It was always Lorcan. He had time for me when I was a child, and it never changed. I never felt like an intrusion with him, and he could brush off my temper tantrums like nobody else. He sent me a letter when he left school...and I sent him one, and it all snowballed from there."

"Why didn't you go work with him straight away?"

"He broke up with me," Lily replied. "In my seventh year. He knew what I planned, to follow him around the world, and wouldn't accept that it was the best thing for me."

"Gryffindors," Aisha said consolingly.

"Tell me about it," Lily grinned.

"And you made it up…."

"When I wouldn't give in," Lily said. "When else? I might be a Slytherin, but sometimes persistence is the best way to get something through a man's thick skull. It was just after Scorpius and Rose's wedding that we made up."

"Why did you call her Alameda?" Aisha asked.

"It means tree," Lily explained. "Well, 'grove of cedarwood' actually, but close enough. One of the camp workers where we were in North America suggested it when they saw her."

Aisha could see the point. With the child's very pale skin, very dark brown hair and bright green eyes, she might well grow to resemble a tree, although depending on whether she had inherited Lorcan's height, it would either be a stump or a sapling.

"What are you going to call…?" Lily gestured towards Aisha's stomach.

"No idea," Aisha admitted. "We don't even know if it's a boy or a girl. We didn't want to find out."

"Don't you want to name one after Ginny?" Lucy Weasley asked.

"Or your parents?" Molly Weasley, her twin, added.

"You named Harriet, after all."

"After Harry, presumably."

The twins didn't finish each other's sentences as much as they used to, given that they were now married and living separately. But they were still annoyingly synchronized. Molly had named her daughter Georgina; Lucy had named her daughter Molly, mainly because the sheer confusion that resulted from having three Mollys alive at once amused her.

"Actually, we didn't." Aisha said. "We just liked the name."

"I don't think you should name children after their ancestors," Rose said, surprising all who hadn't thought she was listening. "I'm glad my parents didn't. It's too confusing."

"But that's fun," Molly and Lucy said in unison.

"Quick vote," Rose said, raising her voice. "Naming children after parents, siblings, friends or dead war heroes. Raise your hand if you're in favour."

The twins shot their hands up. To nobody's surprise, Ginny and Harry both raised their hands. So did George and Angelina, and Audrey. Percy, to general surprise, didn't. Maybe he hadn't supported naming one of his daughters after Molly. James and his wife put their hands up too, along with Albus, Hugo, Dominique and Marie, (Teddy and Victoire's eldest daughter).

Interestingly, Teddy's hand remained down, as did Aisha's, Lily's and Rose's. Ron and Hermione kept their hands down; so did Victoire, Roxanne, Louis and Scorpius. Bill and Fleur did not raise their hands, and nor did Molly or Arthur.

Charlie refused to vote, claiming that without children, he wasn't qualified. As Rose realized that this had given them a complete draw, since many of the spouses hadn't voted, she scowled.

Lorcan withdrew his head from the Floo. "They're on their way," he said. Seconds later, there was another ring at the doorbell.

Roxanne opened the door this time, only to grin widely. "Prepare for another shock," she called over her shoulder.

"Lysander hasn't had a baby, has he?" Scorpius asked, ducking out of the kitchen for a while.

"No baby," Lysander said, his arm around a tall brunette as he entered the room. "Just a fiancée."

Alice and Lia followed with their three daughters, enjoying the looks of shock on everyone's face. They had been celebrating Christmas with the Scamanders because Alice had found out about Lysander's new girlfriend, had already met her, and had come along for moral support. Also, Christmas wasn't a big event among either of their families. For the Longbottoms, Christmas Day meant a busy day at the Leaky Cauldron, so they celebrated on the 27th. Bethany Creevey was Jewish, so Dennis usually accepted the Christmas Day shift at the hospital, and met up at a different time.

"Everyone," Lysander introduced, "meet Regina. Regina meet...well." He said wickedly. "You're good at reasoning. You tell me."

The Weasleys, obeying Arthur's admonishments not to crowd the poor girl, waited their turn to approach the woman. She did very well - Harry, Ginny, Aisha, Albus, Rose, Scorpius, Lorcan and Lily were all recognisable from people in photos from Lysander's apartment.

The others followed, the faces and names no doubt blurring together. There were quite a lot of them, after all. Molly and Arthur, and their six children, along with those children's five spouses. Then there were the twelve grandchildren and their nine partners, minus Fred since he was away. The ratio of grandchild to spouse altered depending on whether you counted Teddy Lupin as one of the former or the latter. And several of those grandchildren had children of their own now, giving twelve great-grandchildren. That was forty-five people, plus the Scamanders and Alice and Lia's family. A grand total of 52 people and fifty-three if you included Regina.

Lysander separated from his girlfriend to congratulate his new sister-in-law, and meet his new niece, as he absorbed the surprise of their sudden marriage. It wasn't as bad as it had been for the other though - Lysander was used to his brother's complete lack of sharing when it came to knowledge about his personal life.

Lorcan didn't seem at all shocked by Regina, whilst Lily looked furious that Lysander hadn't told her.

Regina meanwhile, tried to socialise with the others. There was a little group of women in the front room, consisting of Aisha, Lily, Rose, Dominique, Audrey (Percy's wife) and Ginny. The baby was not in this group - it had been taken off by the more maternal ones among the group like Victoire and Aileen, James' wife.

"Where did you meet Lysander then?" Aisha asked.

"We're both lawyers," Regina said, a small smile revealing neat white teeth. "I beat him in our very first case against each other."

"Oh, are you defence?" Lily asked. "I know he's attack."

"Prosecution," Regina corrected.

"So you're a Muggle?" Dominique asked.

"Yes."

The guarded nature of her reply made Lily smile, and Audrey hastened to reassure her. "They don't mind about that," she told Regina, "I'm a Muggle too."

"And my parents are Muggles," Aisha agreed. "It's not important, especially not to this family."

"And you will eventually get your head around them all," Audrey reassured her, gentle brown eyes looking kindly at Regina.

Aisha nodded in agreement, although her sharp eyes were watching Lysander's new girlfriend. She seemed, although quiet at the moment, to be very different from Percy's wife, who was quiet and domestic, and would have been Hufflepuff had she ever attended Hogwarts. This woman, on the other hand, had a sharpness of gaze and a quirk of the mouth that suggested Slytherin, especially if Lysander had chosen her. Anyone who Lysander went back to was unusual, and no shy or retiring flower.

In another corner of the strangely large room, George, Ron and Angelina were deep in discussion with Molly the younger and Lucy. Bill sighed at them as he walked past.

"No talking about work," he told them. "It's a holiday."

"Tell them that," Molly retorted, gesturing to Teddy who was deep in discussion with Lia about Healing, and Harry, who was leaning on the kitchen door frame as he talked to Scorpius.

"And their conversation is so boring that it might as well be work," Lucy added, pointing to Hermione, Lysander and Percy, who were discussing the difficulties of living a half-Muggle, half-magical life. "At least our work is fun."

Albus smirked at Alice and Lia. "You do realise that you're the only ones not related by blood or marriage now," he reminded them. "One of your little girls will have to marry one of Scorpius' kids. Amy and Percy are the same age, right?"

Amy Longbottom overheard this and scowled. "No way!" she complained. "Boys are icky. I'm not marrying one!"

"You could always marry Harriet or Alameda," Lysander put in, his mouth quirking in amusement.

Lia scowled at him, whilst Albus went suddenly white at the idea of anyone at all marrying his daughter. Ever.

"And I'm not related to the Weasleys," Lysander added.

"Brother-in-law," Albus reminded him.

"Brother-in-law's brother," Lysander protested.

Out of nowhere, Lily appeared, frowning at him. "Is there anything wrong with being related to us?" she demanded.

Albus and Alice stifled laughter as they backed away, leaving Lysander to Lily's mercy.

"Muum, I'm hungry," Lee, Rose's youngest son, complained, and his cry was soon taken up by several of the other children currently running around the room. There were fourteen in total now, once you added in Lia's three, with a massive age range from Teddy and Victoire's very mature fifteen year old to Lily's little four-month baby.

"The sprouts need ten more minutes," Fleur told them, her head emerging from the kitchen.

"So?" Perseus, Rose's other son, cried. "Why would we want sprouts, they're horrible!"

"It's tradition," Albus told them.

"And is tradition always good?" Amy Longbottom asked.

"There's a Ravenclaw," Rose said approvingly.

"Hey!" Alice said, only half-joking. "Don't Sort my children before they're hatched."

Confusion greeted her words.

"That's a really bad mixed metaphor," Lysander commented.

"Blame the hunger," she shrugged.

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Before we eat," Aisha said tentatively, "Albus and I have an announcement to make."

"You're pregnant?" Lysander suggested.

"Admittedly, yes." Aisha said, resting a hand on her expanded belly. "But that's not it."

"I'm giving up work," Albus said, a stunned silence spreading after his words.

"Why?" Rose asked, shocked. From the looks on Harry and Scorpius' face, this was no surprise – of course. Albus would have had to send them his resignation letter first.

"To help my family," Albus said simply. "And my friends," he glanced at Lia.

"Which leads onto my announcement," she said, tucking her hair behind her ears in her old manner. "I know I've been looking after the children for the last five years, ever since Amy was born."

"And we're so grateful," Aisha said kindly. The others nodded in agreement.

Lia smiled. "But I've had an offer from Hogwarts, and I can't refuse it. Especially since Albus has said that he'll be able to look after them from now on." She took a deep breath. "I'm going to be taking over from Madam Pomfrey as the school nurse," she explained.

"You'll be fantastic," Lysander reassured her.

"If you and Alice can keep your hands off each other," Albus added. Alice and Lia's daughters, Amy and Sophia, made gagging motions. Ruby, at one year old, was too young to really grasp the concept, but she wailed good-naturedly all the same.

A ping went off, and Scorpius whirled. "That's the timer," he yelped. "The sprouts are ready."

Anything that anyone else might have said was lost in the cacophony of cheering, not just from the children but from several of the adults too.

"You would think they had never eaten before," Fleur remarked softly to Scorpius, as she waved her wand, causing the roast potatoes to fly into five separate tureens.

Scorpius grinned good-naturedly, waving his own wand to levitate the vegetable tureens onto the huge trestle table that had been set up. It easily fit all of them on it, along with the food, yet fit comfortably in the dining room of the Burrow. Fleur followed with the stuffing and the gravy bowl, leaving Grandma Molly the position of honour as she escorted the turkey into the room.

They all dug in enthusiastically, waiting until plates were wiped clean of their first helpings before taking hold of the crackers that sat by every plate. Bonnets, caps and wizarding hats all emerged, and the table was momentarily engulfed in a fragrant smoke that smelt nearly as good as the turkey itself.

Scorpius and Albus were talking enthusiastically, their gestures and mannerisms the same as they had been twenty five years ago, and their friendship as strong. Lia spoke to Lorcan, thrilled as always to find out about his adventures. Rose and Lysander were catching up with Lily, demanding to know everything about the wedding, her new job, all the secrets she must have been keeping from them for so many years.

Ginny was sat next to Luna, quietly asking her opinion on her son's fiancee, and her son's wife. Luna wasn't at all surprised by Lily, or the child. Maybe she'd known before. And getting married out there, without even telling your family, was a very Luna thing to do. A very Rolf thing to do, too, and very Lorcan. It was exactly how Luna and Rolf had got married. On the subject of Regina...Luna didn't understand her, in the same way that she didn't always understand Lysander, although she would always love him. But she knew that they were right for each other

"She fits him," Luna said softly, and for once Ginny understood her. She didn't always agree with her children; wouldn't have traded her life for theirs in a million years. It was beyond her comprehension how Lily could enjoy sleeping in a tent and being constantly on the move. And she'd lay a bet that Lysander and Regina's lifestyle was as strange to Luna as some of Luna's comments were to everyone else.

"That's what matters," she agreed softly, looking proudly at her three children. All of them happy now, all of them married, all of them with children, even. They were so old, and she suddenly found herself stifling tears. They were all grown up.

"They'll always need us. They might not need us to teach them how to walk and talk any more, but they still need you." Luna's comforting hand was on Ginny's arm, and the redhead looked gratefully at her. "Even a Nargle still goes back to its parents for advice."

Ginny laughed, albeit with a little bit of a sob in there.

Around them, so many conversations were taking place that the noise could be disorientating. It was also soothing, however. If you just relaxed and let the words drift over you, it was so familiar and so domestic that it filled your heart.

Aisha was doing just that, her ears catching fragments of every conversation.

"Yes, we were in Chile….."

"If we do a buy-one-get-one-free deal on the old version…"

"…..missed being a Healer?"

"…..been engaged three months…"

"I can't believe how long….."

"….at Serafina's wedding….."

"We're going to need to buy her some new shoes soon…."

"….. heard from Kate…"

"Two lots of congratulations, Luna….."

Catching Alice's eye, Aisha smiled. They were both doing the exact same thing. Alice had reason to be practiced at this – it wasn't exactly an unhelpful trait as a Professor, to be able to eavesdrop on your student's conversations.

Alice, her arm around her glowing wife, watched and listened, as glasses of champagne were brought in to celebrate, as Grandma Molly, still agile despite her grey hair and shrunken frame, darted in and out of the kitchen to fetch the Christmas pudding, as Arthur, hair entirely gone, set it alight with a touch of his wand.

And she smiled. _I'd never have guessed that being in that train compartment, getting in that boat would have proved so important. I'd never have guessed that I'd find friends who loved who I was, and accepted who I pretended to be._

She'd write that in her diary that night, a diary she had kept faithfully since she was very young, so young that she no longer remembered. She'd kept all of her old diaries too, and gladly gave them out to her friends who wished to read them and remember.

Rose's distinctive laughter echoed across the table, followed a moment later by Lia's giggle, and she looked up to see Lysander smirking.

They'd been friends within a day of meeting, and that bond would never break.

* * *

**Chapter title from 'Fairytale of New York', my absolute favourite Christmas song. Which is when I wrote this chapter, when I intended it to be the end (back at Christmas!)**

**However there are four more! Sorry.**

**x**


	62. Every Moment We Share Together

**A collection of drabbles to make the twelfth chapter of this collection. Next chapter...the deaths. Sorry.**

**Thanks for reading, all of you, and especially for reviewing: Joelle8, jcmutt, Twisted Identity, Marciabarcia, TwistedRaver, susiipie, SeekDreamsAndFindHope, Arlath's Star, Likewow5556, ModernDayRapunzel, anamolly2013, dpwheels57, LiaLovesYou, Midnight Demonn, shine lots and sylphides.**

* * *

**Chapter 62: Every Moment We Share Together**

**Drabbles - Throughout Adult Life**

**Colours**

_Lorcan – Silver_

Lorcan Scamander says that silver is his favourite colour because of Lily – this makes no sense, that a marriage to a girl with flame-red hair, chalk-white skin and emerald-green eyes can make one love silver, but people nod anyway.

They pretend they understand, and Lorcan doesn't bother to explain, because he never explains his eccentricities to people who don't know him well enough, or care enough, to ask.

But really, it fits perfectly. Lily isn't silver in looks, but _personality. _A mind that darts, quick, nimble and powerful like the silver Ramora Fish. A laugh that is subtle and sly, slippery like a gleaming silver snake. Shy at her depths, like the elusive Mooncalf. A temper that can come on as fast as a monsoon rainstorm, changeable and mercurial like quicksilver.

So when people ask his favourite colour, he says silver; when they just smile and walk away, he laughs because he married that silver girl. And if they walk a little faster upon hearing him laughing at nothing, he laughs all the harder.

_Lily – Green_

People nod wisely when they hear that Lily Scamander, born Lily Potter, has the favourite colour of emerald green. 'A true Slytherin' they say. 'And you're lucky that it suits you so well.'

It suits her to let them believe this is why, because she is a Slytherin after all. You don't broadcast your weaknesses to the world, not if you're smart. So she pretends this is the truth, even though it's nothing like it.

Really, she loves emerald green because of her eyes. And before that makes her sound vain, let her explain. Because Albus Potter has the same eyes; so does Harry Potter. So, once upon a time, did Lily Evans. If you're the first in your family to be a Slytherin for a century, then you need reminders that you're not some foundling child, left on the doorstep and your 'parents' didn't have the heart to turn you away.

So when she's in the rainforest, gazing up at the verdant canopy above her, she'll smile, knowing that the colour is reflected in her eyes and those of her ancestors (and her descendants, though she doesn't know yet that her daughter will have his father's brown hair and his mother's green eyes. _My little tree_, Lorcan will call her, and that'll become her name, eventually – in a foreign language, to give some semblance of a real name.)

_Scorpius – Blue_

Everyone expects that Scorpius Malfoy's favourite colour is red. Scarlet like his Gryffindor robes, like his wife's hair. But they forget, you see, that Scorpius is an Auror, who became head of his own team quite quickly and an eventual Head of Department.

He's seen more than his fair share of wounds and deaths. And red will always be the colour he connects with blood – with life leaking out of friends and colleagues, out of people who _he_ failed. If his robes are red these days, it's because something went terribly wrong, and he'll have been the one kneeling there, ignoring the pool of liquid as it soaked into his clothes, gripping the hand of the dying human and talking to them; assuring them they'll be fine; ordering them to stay around; consoling them if all hope is lost.

Anyway, Rose's hair isn't red. It's ginger, auburn, carroty orange (though he'd never dare say that to her). It has a life of its own, like a flame – it doesn't deserve to be associated with that colour of human life, of pain, of sorrow.

So his favourite colour is blue. Blue like Rose's Quidditch robes were the first time that he kissed her; blue like the sky when they flew together; blue like Rose's eyes; blue like her dress robes at the Graduation Ceremony. Blue suited Rose perfectly, and Scorpius liked its omen of calm.

_Albus – Hah!_

Albus Potter was a man. He didn't have anything so _girly_ as a favourite colour. Colour didn't have anything to do with anything – it was what the colours were a part of that made them special.

He loved green and silver because of Aisha's Hogwarts robes; black and brown because of her hair, skin and eyes; white for the way the sheets fell over his wife's bare shoulder in the morning.

Red and gold for the drapings of his Hogwarts dorm; plum-coloured for the Wizenmagot robes that Aisha came home in; navy blue for the Auror robes he was so proud to don. Yellow and pink because they were the only two colours in the first drawing his daughter handed to him. (It was supposed to be a representation of Alice and Lia, when they looked after Harriet. He never told either woman how surprisingly accurate it was.)

No, colour had nothing to do with anything. Until they found the colour that happiness was, he didn't have a preference.

_Rose – Pink_

Rose Malfoy was in no way, shape, or form, a girly-girl, nor had she been so even when she was Rose Weasley. She didn't squeal if there was a worm on the floor; she got rid of spiders for her father from an early age; it didn't bother her if she forgot a hairbrush when she went on holiday, so long as she remembered a book. She was also as ginger as the Weasley stereotype expected her to be, with the freckles to match.

Therefore, the colour she never wore was pink. All the little pink dresses that shops stock for baby girls – she got blue. Even later, when Ron was trying to indoctrinate her into being Gryffindor, she wore gold. Not red, nothing remotely similar to pink.

When romantic men dated her in her twenties, and thought it intelligent and original to give her roses, none of them ever gave her pink ones. Red ones occasionally, white ones usually – one man gave her charmed Ravenclaw blue ones, and she dated him an extra six months simply for that tiny spark of innovation.

Brought up by parents who both worked, and had an equal partnership on the basis that Hermione decided things and Ron did what she said, she had absolute belief in gender equality, and sniffed at the idea that all girls liked pink. But she couldn't deny that some part of her looked on jealously when other girls donned the colour.

And although Scorpius never knew it, she never loved him more than the moment when he murmured how much he loved how her cheeks were pink and peachy (not scarlet, not crimson, not beet-red. Pink. Feminine, dainty, perfectly pretty pink.)

_Aisha – Purple_

If somebody asked Aisha Siddiqui, or Aisha Potter why purple was her favourite colour, she'd shrug. 'Because it's a nice colour?' she'd retort. 'No deep reasoning behind it. I love red, blue and green too. Purple is just a little bit…more my favourite.'

She was lying. Maybe she didn't realise it. But it was unlikely to be a coincidence that when you ran for election as Minister for Magic, you didn't wear any colour that could be associated with favouritism for a Hogwarts House.

Red – blood, love, a betrayal of her House in favour of a Gryffindor husband. Blue – tears, calm, over-thinking things and a lack of knowledge about the real world like a Ravenclaw. Green – whilst for a Muggle, green would always be an environmental colour, leaves and grass and nature, it meant something entirely different for a wizard, particularly any who lived through the War.

Green was the colour of the Dark Mark when it was shot into the sky, the eerie green light it gave off shining on the faces of the bereaved. Green was the colour of Avada Kedavra. Nothing more needed to be said, really. Some said that green had become the colour of evil because of Slytherin House; others that it was just an unfortunate coincidence, and an added level of difficulty to the prejudice that Slytherins now fought to conquer.

No, purple wasn't a random choice. The colour of red and blue together; the colour of passion; the colour of royalty and power, dating back two millennia. A nice colour indeed.

_Alice - White_

Alice Longbottom, also known as Alice Creevey, owns clothes (and shoes) in nearly every colour imaginable. Poppy red, emerald green, midnight blue, shocking pink, imperial purple. You would, therefore, expect her to own clothes in her favourite colour. But she doesn't.

She doesn't suit it, you see. She has white-blonde hair, pale blue eyes, alabaster skin. She used Tanning Charms once upon a time, until her Healer then-girlfriend, now-wife, told her that it could give her cancer, and that it would make her look old before her time. Now she's resigned to it. So white clothes wash her out – meld with her curves in a very unflattering way.

But she still loves white. Loves it for its perfection; just as she loves Lia for hers. Unattainable perfection, she discovers the first time that she puts her daughters in white clothes, only for them to dirty them less than five minutes later. But striving for something unattainable is what she's spent her life doing. Trying to make people over a certain age think of something else but a poor crazy woman, a tragic story, a wasted life, when they heard the name 'Alice Longbottom' only worked briefly, even at Hogwarts. Trying to change completely who she was, stop flirting at all for Lia's sake, only made Lia tell her off, and force her to go back to her normal self.

White hides nothing; it shows off all sins. And Alice wants to know things too – everyone always forgets that she was Ravenclaw-curious, long before she was flirtatious.

_Lysander – Black_

Lysander Scamander would have been called morbid if he said that black was his favourite colour. The colour of funerals, and of night? 'It's not even a colour' pedants would argue. 'It's just the absence of light.'

That was true – he had seen enough of it. Lysander wasn't scared of blackness, of darkness. He'd spent his childhood in wildernesses that were hundreds of miles from light. On a cloudy night, he'd known darkness so intense that the first time you'd realise your hand was in front of your face would be when it touched your skin.

But loving black had nothing to do with that. Black suited him – and the occasions where you wore black suited him too. Black robes, at Hogwarts, where he slept in real beds, could have a hot shower every morning and enjoyed life in a way that he'd never enjoyed growing up, despite having a complete love for his parents.

Black tie events at Muggle university and beyond. He might be uncertain about social norms and what to wear when invites were 'casual dress', not having had eighteen years of practice like most of his peers. But a tuxedo, or a suit, was hardly complicated. The black of a barrister's robes as he thrived in his chosen profession, where arguing, but in a calm and clever way, as nearly all Slytherins could do, earned you money!

Oh, black wasn't a morbid choice. It might be true that Lysander didn't fear death. But black, to him, represented the best parts of living, too. After all, what else were funerals for if not to celebrate life, and so wasn't black a colour of celebration?

_Lia – Yellow_

Not many knew Lia Creevey's favourite colour was yellow. Even if they did, they'd make assumptions, as people always did about her, that it was because of Alice Longbottom's blonde hair, or because all three of their daughters were also blonde, with golden-brown skin.

They were wrong. That wasn't yellow, not how Lia loved it. Lia loved canary-yellow. The yellow of sunflowers in bloom. Yellow meant everything to Lia. It was her childhood – sun-drenched, on sandy beaches, with the yellow boat in which she and her grandfather would sit for hours in companionable, peaceable silence. With little traditions, like how her mother, and later Lia, would always cut a bunch of the first daffodils in bloom for the vase that Lia's dead aunt had made, in memory.

Yellow was spring; yellow was joy. Yellow was nothing to do with appearance – nobody looked good in bright yellow robes, not even Alice. Yellow was about being happy on the inside, no matter what people thought of you or what happened to you outside.

Few knew why Lia's favourite colour was yellow. But to those who knew her best, it was completely appropriate. To them, Lia was yellow personified. Under-appreciated, cheerful, warm.

* * *

**_Tears_**

_Alice and Lia_

The first tears that Alice and Lia shed together were after the attack on Alice. Lia was still healing her girlfriend's wounds, and murmuring sympathetic words, when Alice interrupted her with a simple statement.

"I'd choose this."

"Maybe I was wrong, maybe you do have concussion," Lia joked feebly. "Unless you've decided just to imitate Lorcan?"

"Sorry. I meant, if I'd had a choice, I would have chosen to be gay. To fall in love with you. No matter what bad things come with it, it's worth it to be with you."

The tears Alice was weeping were tears of pain. The tears Lia was weeping were now tears of joy.

_Albus and Aisha_

The first tears that Albus and Aisha shed together were when they were told that their first child, the baby who Aisha had been carrying, had died. The words 'miscarriage', 'unforeseen', 'nobody's fault' drifted past them, but they were lost in their own unhappiness.

They bent their heads together and wept tears of sorrow.

_Lysander and Regina_

The first tears that Lysander and Regina shed together were when Lysander was 43, and diagnosed with skin cancer.

He fought it, and he won, and that was the first time they cried. Tears of suppressed terror, relief, joy, disbelief….tears that merely expressed the emotions that could not all be shown at one.

_Lorcan and Lily_

The first tears that Lorcan and Lily shed together were tears of awe. After years of hard work and persuasion, the Amazon villagers had finally agreed to show the couple to their sacred place, an enclosed valley filled with animals that the villagers believed were sent from the gods, and Lorcan and Lily suspected to be magical.

When they reached it, and saw it in the light of the setting sun, the sheer diversity of the new fantastic beasts to be studied brought tears to their eyes as they clasped hands and gazed in wonder.

_Scorpius and Rose_

The first tears that Scorpius and Rose shed together were whilst Scorpius was still in Auror training. Trainee Aurors were assigned Aurors as guides, who changed each week.

Thanks to the mistrust and prejudice of his guide, Scorpius had ended up in St Mungo's. Even though the elder Auror later confessed her error, and never stopped trying to make it up to him, right then, while he was lying in his hospital bed, Scorpius had never felt more upset.

He'd landed the job of his dreams, but people still didn't see beyond his surname. So he wept tears of despair, whilst by his side, Rose wept tears of sheer fury.

* * *

**News**

_Alice_

The best news that Alice ever received was when Lia forgave her and took her back after the Samuel Smith debacle in seventh year. The very fact that Lia was willing to trust Alice, to risk being hurt like that again, made Alice all the more determined never to give her any reason to be hurt.

The worst news that Alice ever received was that her brother, Frank, would have disowned her for her sexuality. She overheard an argument between her father and Frank, at a family dinner that took place two years after Alice and Lia had come out. Neville was furious at his eldest son, furious that a child of his would show such unreasoning prejudice, but Alice was simply horrified. She'd been protected from many of the bad reactions by the simple fact that she had such a close ring of friends, who would have accepted her if she'd said that she wanted to go and live on the moon. This reminder that not everyone was so welcoming was an unpleasant shock.

_Lia_

The best news that Lia ever received was that it had become possible for two women to have a child of their own. She'd wanted nothing more than a big family for most of her life, and it had been the worst part of realising that she was gay.

The worst news that Lia ever received was at her grandfather's funeral. Not her maternal grandfather's, although that was agonising enough, losing a man who had been as close as her father to her. But her paternal grandfather's, where she discovered what it was like to have someone hate you for who you were born as.

_Albus_

The best news that Albus ever received was that Aisha wanted to marry him. He'd never dared ask, despite all of his Gryffindor bravery. He didn't believe someone so beautiful, so intelligent, so destined for greatness, might want to stay with him for the rest of her life.

The worst news that Albus ever received was when his daughter died. It was something no parent should endure, and although she had not died prematurely, but in her sleep at the end of a long life, he buried a part of himself with her.

_Aisha_

The best news that Aisha ever received was her Hogwarts letter. She'd always felt different, always been an outsider. Now, she had a reason why, a place that she fit. And although she looked back many times, wondered what life would have been like had she never gone to Hogwarts, she never ever regretted what happened.

The worst news that Aisha ever received was the miscarriage of her child. Not only for the personal impact, which was devastating, hurting her to the very core. But for the political impact too, for the people who would wonder all the more if a woman was right for Minister, if it would hurt the woman's family. And for the guilt she would always feel, as though it were her fault, no matter how many people tried to deny it.

_Rose_

The best news that Rose ever received was in person. When she arrived at Scorpius' hotel room, late at night after Aisha and Al's wedding. Scorpius taking her back was the best thing that happened to her, in all of her long life.

The worst news that Rose ever received was that her father had died. They were close, had always been close, from the time when she was a little girl right up to now. She would go to her Dad for talk about everything. She had trusted him enough to know that he would forgive her for dating Scorpius, and of course he did.

_Lorcan_

The best news that Lorcan ever received was when Lily gave him a smack to the side of the head and told him that she didn't want to settle down. That being witches and wizards meant they never had to. That she didn't love him despite his eccentricities but because of them.

The worst news that Lorcan ever received was that his twin, half of him, a companion he had always believed to be there for the last sixty-odd years, had died. They had not been identical, in looks or in personality. Two more different boys were hard to imagine. But Lorcan still felt something missing, something lacking, when he woke the morning after Lysander's funeral to the knowledge that he was no longer one of a pair, at least not a living pair.

_Lily_

The best news that Lily ever received was when Lorcan told her she was pregnant, having noticed before her.

The worst news that Lily ever received was when Lorcan broke up with her. She was furious and devastated, all at once. But worst, she was scared. Never the most confident girl, she wondered what it was in her that had driven him away, despite all of Lorcan's assurances that it was him, that she was too good for him, that she shouldn't shackle herself to a man who spent little time in one country and would never settle down.

_Lysander_

The best news that Lysander ever received was that the cancer had not returned after five years. As far as anybody could be, he was in the clear. And thankfully he wasn't alive to see the same disease, the one that he had defeated, take his only brother and twin.

The worst news that Lysander ever received was that early-onset Alzheimer's ran in his wife's family, and that he could expect to lose her not at eighty, as he had originally feared, but as young as sixty or worse. And he might have to watch as the woman he loved slipped away, half-realising what was happening, and was replaced by an echo of what she had been.

_Scorpius_

The best news that Scorpius ever received was the letter confirming his place to train to be an Auror. He'd wanted to become a Dark Wizard catcher since a young age, and it had been his happy announcing of that ambition that had been the catalyst for the conversation with his father about the Malfoy's less-than-stellar history. Achieving that ambition seemed like a reward for enduring eighteen years of judgements on his surname alone.

The worst news that Scorpius ever received was when Rose Weasley broke up with him. They say that men don't cry…..but Scorpius proved that a lie when he returned home, eschewing all company and securely locking his door.

* * *

**First Crush**

Alice's first crush was on the Ravenclaw ghost, a scarred, silent and dignified young man, no older than eighteen. The mystery and tragedy around him was only part of the allure.

Rose's first crush was on Lysander. There aren't many boys who speak to girls who are so intelligent, and formidable. Albus was her cousin; Scorpius was too close a friend for her even to think of him that way, yet; Lorcan was too unpredictable. Lysander was charming and flirtatious and Rose couldn't help but fall for him a little.

Lia's first crush was on Aisha. She was already such a good friend, she knew Lia so well, she actually seemed to understand her. Sometimes, Lia felt like she and Lorcan were the only two people who actually saw her in a 's eyes were Lia's favourite thing about her - dark and expressive, showing sympathy, poking fun or sharing enthusiasm. What girl wouldn't be attracted to her?

Aisha's first crush was on Professor Corner. A man who introduced her to this world, a world of magic and fantasy beyond her wildest imagination. He was relatively young, and good-looking. Not that scarred, at least not compared to many in the Wizarding World, where scars that would be one in a million in the Muggle world were two a penny. He was intelligent, and he was enthusiastic. And Aisha was a Slytherin – aiming for a teacher is always a high ambition.

Lily's first crush was on Lysander. He was good-looking, and he spoke to her. The number of boys who did that were very few. One was her brother; another was Scorpius, who by the time that Lily got around to noticing boys was so clearly in love with Rose that he wasn't worth bothering him. That left Henry, her friend, who wasn't that much to look at, and was gone from Hogwarts anyway. And Lorcan, who wasn't even noticeable in Lily's mind, not until her sixth year when he was suddenly gone and she realised how much she missed him. That left Lysander, by a process of elimination.

Lorcan's first crush was on Lily. Long before she was capable of noticing him back, back when he was a third year and they were staring enthralled at the Giant Squid's offspring together, he glanced at her face and had a sudden feeling of just how fitting this was, and how nice it would be if all of his life was spent like this, gazing in mutual awe at a fantastic creature with another human being who he got along so well with.

Lysander's first crush was on Rose. She was intelligent, and funny, even if she didn't often let you see it. She had a forthrightness that Lysander sometimes envied and her face was so open, so expressive in comparison to the girls around whom Lysander spent the most time. It was fascinating, even if it could never last long.

Scorpius' first crush was on Lia. He worried, often, that there was a darkness in his family that would come out, and Lia seemed the antithesis to everything dark. When he was spending time with her, it was impossible to be truly cynical or depressed, and if he was upset, her sympathy was soothing.

Al's first crush was on Alice. She was beautiful, and extravagant, but it was her laugh he fell for. For a month, he told his best jokes, all in the hope of extracting that beautiful sound.

* * *

**Thank you for reading this story...only the death chapters left now...**

**I don't want to write them, but I already know everything I'm going to put. And I kind of do want to write them, so expect them to turn up pretty soon! **

**Chapter title from Moments, by Westlife. **

**x**


	63. Near, Far, Wherever You Are

**Thank you for reviewing: CelticGoddess1986, Likewow5556, susiipie, Arlath's Star, Marciabarcia, dpwheels57, TwistedRaver, Twisted Identity, anamolly2013, shine lots, ModernDayRapunzel, SeekDreamsAndFindHope, Joelle8 and Doni**

**These, now, are the first three of the eight funerals.**

* * *

**Chapter 63: Near, Far, Wherever You Are**

**Lysander, Lorcan and Lia - 2064 to 2096**

When Lysander died, aged 58, in an explosion that destroyed the Muggle plane on which he and his wife were flying, everyone gathered at his funeral, disbelieving.

It wasn't that they couldn't believe him to be dead - they were all mature enough to know that. It was the age, so young, at which he had died. Young for a wizard at least - the average age for wizards to die was 100. However, they were also relieved. Lysander had grown worried in his later years, about his life. It was the curse of marrying Muggles - you would outlive them by so long that you might be widowed even at the age that some of your friends were just settling down to their homes.

The funeral was hard for them all. Aisha had lost her father seven years previously, but this was different. This was the death of your friend, someone your age. Worst of all was Rolf and Luna, attending the funeral of their son. Although it had happened to many in the war, it shouldn't have happened now.

It was a double funeral, of course, and the strange looks from Regina's Muggle relatives went unnoticed by Luna, philosophical about her grief, although her eyes showed a sadness that her husband Rolf expressed more openly. After the official funeral, the wizards returned to the grave to say the traditional spells that take place at such events. They were not few in number, many Weasleys turning up, not to mention those who had studied at university with Lysander and a few who had worked with him on his wizarding cases. And his closest friends, friends from so long ago.

There were eight of them there now. Lily and Lorcan. Wrapped around each other as if they were one being, as close as they'd been when they'd danced at Lysander's wedding. The twins had been close, as the only friends that the other had had for the first eleven years of their lives.

Lia and Alice, Lia rubbing Alice's arms as she let her tears fall, uncaring. She and Lysander had been so close, so similar. They'd been kin as much as Lorcan and Lysander, sticking together at Hogwarts as a duo.

Rose and Scorpius, neither weeping but their eyes glassy with shock and glimmering with tears they wouldn't share yet.

Aisha ad Albus, dark hair blending in with dark robes. Aisha, no longer Minister but still with a public face to keep up, would not cry, though Albus let tears fall freely. Slytherins, they'd been together. Prefects too, spending many evenings together on duty, chatting freely.

He'd written the inscription for his grave when he'd first learned Latin, during his sixth year. It read _**'m**_**_undus vult decipi._'**

* * *

**July 2078**

When Lorcan died, aged 72, of a cancer which he had not fought, but allowed to take him in order that he might die doing what he loved, everyone gathered at his funeral, astonished.

It was so unexpected. He hadn't told anyone about his cancer, although Lily had guessed. The last months had been agony for them both, as he grew weaker and she watched her husband leave her slowly. People asked her at the funeral if she'd known.

She looked at them with a gaze that was empty. She'd had a year to prepare for this. But a lifetime wasn't long enough. At least Rolf and Luna didn't have to bear witness this time. Five years ago they'd died, like Lorcan, in the midst of what they did – a rock fall in the area of caves they were investigating had killed them instantly.

There were far more people than you might have expected. You might not think that Lorcan would collect friends, eccentric as he was. But he'd touched many lives, from those who had been employed to help Lily and Lorcan in foreign countries, to the Magizoology students that the pair had trained; from environmentalists who his wealth had supported, to the students who had been at Hogwarts in years below that he'd befriended.

Lily's best friends, Henry Andrews-Smythe and Serafina Andrews-Smythe, nee Elliot, were there too. Lily and Lorcan had given Serafina a place to go when she'd divorced her first husband, and Lorcan had walked Serafina down the aisle when she'd married Henry. Now Henry, the nineteenth Earl of Westmorland and his lovely lady stood with Lily as she buried her husband.

Alameda, their daughter, was there, her husband standing with her and their two children, too young to really understand what was happening.

And the inscription on his grave read _**'****Quam bene vivas refert, non quam diu.' **_

* * *

**February 2096**

When Lia died, aged 90, of a heart attack that killed her whilst she stood at the stove, cooking pasta for tea, everyone gathered at her funeral, devastated.

It had been twenty years, nearly, since the full seven had all been gathered together at a funeral. But, as happens as one grows older, those twenty years had not been free of grief. Though five years where the funeral dress robes languished at the back of the wardrobe had preceded Lorcan's death, since that day, they had rarely had rest.

Scorpius had got off lightly to begin with, only losing his aunt Daphne in the year that followed. He'd held Rose up though, as she lived the nightmare that was the death of one's parents, Ron dying two years before Hermione, aged 100 and 103 respectively. It was especially hard, as Ron and Rose had remained as close as they ever were, unlike many. Two years later, she'd reciprocated, as Astoria, who'd been lit with a second life despite Draco's death fourteen years previously, had passed away in her sleep.

Aisha had lost her brother and her eldest sister. This, though, was not too hard. Despite the clear evidence to the contrary, Aisha's brother had never realised that she was anything other than normal. Her eldest sister, on the other hand, had been told. As they'd never been as close afterwards, Aisha did not realise that this had changed Henna's world view, and she'd been a more mature and open individual for it.

Lily and Albus, though, along with losing Ron and Hermione, which was nearly bad enough, had had to endure the loss of their father and simultaneously the attention of the world as everyone reeled at the death of the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One, a man who had been popular beyond measure, who'd been the mark of an era and the hero of his time, all the more so as his daughter-in-law quietly had led in changes that had made the wizarding world better.

Lia and Alice had not escaped unscathed. Neville had followed Lorcan into the grave after only six months, whilst Dennis' death had meant that Lia's last living ancestor had passed away, following her mother in 2046 and her grandfather in 2027. Now Lia, too, was dead, and Alice was left to bear it alone.

There were her children, of course. But they had grown up and moved away, as children do. They were married now, all three of them. One to a Muggle, one to a Finnigan, and one to a Malfoy, of course. Not Amy, as everyone had predicted, since they were in the same year at Hogwarts. But Ruby and Percy, the only one out of the three couples to not have had children.

There were Lia's old co-workers as a Healer, old friends from Hogwarts and those who had been at Hogwarts while she was the Nurse, remembering her well. But most important of all to Alice were her friends.

The six of them stood together, Rose at Alice's one hand and Lily at the other. Lia had been a symbol to them, of every virtue and kindness. Age had not wearied her – even as she approached a century, her hair had been long and wavy, although grey rather than blonde now, and the wrinkles on her face had spoke of a life lived with mirth and gladness.

But Alice did not cry, announcing her joy. Lia had feared that Alice would die first, and prayed that she would not. It was the only selfish impulse of her life, this wish to be spared being left behind, alone.

But then Alice woke the next morning, and rolled to the other side of the bed, to where Lia's warm embrace had awaited her for almost seventy five years, only to find empty coldness. Then she wept, and wept all the harder as she remembered that every other time she had cried, Lia had held her, right back to the first time when she'd experienced her first loss, the death of her great-grandmother Augusta in fourth-year.

She visited Lia's grave every day for a month, tracing the inscription - _**Natura in minima maxima**_ - gently with her fingertips.

* * *

**Chapter title from, I'm sorry, My Heart Will Go On. Celine Dion, Titanic. Cliche, anyone?**

**Please review. The quotes meant:**

**Lysander's - '_The world wishes to be deceived' _or in normal slang '_there's a sucker born every minute'_**  
**Lorcan's - _The important thing isn't how long you live, but how well you live_**  
**Lia's - _Nature is the greatest in the smallest things _**


	64. The Wind Begins To Mourn

**Four more funerals to contend with. It is so weird to be writing a year in the Date heading of the chapter that I probably won't live to see.**

**Thanks for reviewing: Likewow5556, CelticGoddess1986, Arlath's Star, Marciabarcia, Doni, Twisted Identity, TwistedRaver, SeekDreamsAndFindHope (aka too lazy to log in :D we've all been that) anamolly2013, susiipie, Joelle8, jcmutt, shine lots, Midnight Demonn and HPnerd13.**

* * *

**Chapter 64: The Withered Leaves Collect At My Feet And The Wind Begins To Mourn**

**Lily, Rose, Scorpius and Alice - 2110 to 2128**

When Lily died, aged 104, of pneumonia that had infected lungs not used to British winters, everyone gathered at her funeral, amused.

Lily had discovered something new, when Lorcan had died. She no longer went out to foreign climes to study animals – instead she wrote stories about the animals, and realised something that she'd never known – that she had a gift for writing, not only the reports and descriptions of the fantastic creatures that she and her husband had studied, nor the columns for the Daily Prophet and the Quibbler about her adventures, but fictional stories about fictional people.

In the thirty years that she had since becoming a widow, she rarely put down her quill, newly energised to get out all of these worlds and people who had invaded her imagination, a place that had been active ever since her brothers had disdained playing with the little girl and she'd made up her own games that she could play alone.

She'd continued to live abroad until two years ago, when James Potter had died. Then the two remaining Potter siblings had clung together, fourteen years bereft of a mother and now lacking their third brother. Unfortunately, she'd never been happy in cold temperatures, and the cruel British winter had taken its toll.

But she'd known that she would die long before she did, and she welcomed it gladly. Lily had believed in an afterlife, and so she was glad of the chance, at last, to reunite with the man who'd been her soul mate. Quickly, though, before she let Death carry her off, she'd written farewells to all of her family – for Alice, Scorpius and Aisha were included in that now, along with Albus and her daughter, almost old herself at 68, who had married Alice's grandson and had two children of her own.

There were many, many others at the funeral of course. Of the original set of grandchildren, only nine survived - Dominique, Roxanne, Hugo, Louis, Victoire, Rose, Molly, Lucy and of course Albus.

But the letters...that was why they were amused – even as Aisha mourned the loss of someone who had been her confidante, through Floo and Owl Post, ever since they had first met in the Slytherin Common Room, as Albus adjusted to being an only child, as Rose felt the loss of someone who'd ever been as a sister, as Scorpius, too, wept for the girl who'd been the little sister he'd always wanted, as Alice missed a girl in whom she'd seen much of herself, and had loved for being strong enough to stay individual.

And the five of them stood, reading the inscription that Lily had chosen - **_insanabile cacoethes scribendi_**. And holding their letters from beyond the grave, and perhaps agreeing with its truth.

* * *

**October 2120**

When Rose died, aged 114, of a stroke that took her as she walked to the shops for food and fresh air, everyone gathered at her funeral, concerned.

Rose and Scorpius had hardly been separated. Not since their brief break-up in their twenties – and even then, with all of their youth, they'd looked like hell. They thrived on argument with each other.

The same had applied to Lia and Alice – and look what had happened there. Within a decade of Lia's death, Alice had sold her home, moved to the Muggle world and thrown herself into life there. Then, she had slowly degenerated into dementia, remaining unnoticed by any, until Rose, who had been put down as Alice's next of kin in her Muggle records, had been notified that Alice had been found wandering the street.

She'd thought it was 11am, and time for her gym class. But it was 11pm. When they looked in her flat, they found the door could barely open for all the mail-order items that had been delivered, and that the fridge had not been working for weeks. Within months she'd been in a home for the mentally disabled, and it grieved her remaining friends and family beyond measure now to see what had become of Alice, who had sashayed everywhere she walked and never left the house without make-up, and now shuffled from chair to bed, her hair hanging in grey hanks around her face.

She stood at Rose's funeral now, uncomprehending, as Aisha held her husband and Albus held his closest friend's shoulders and Scorpius' grey eyes stared in desolation at his wife's gravestone, and the inscription that Lily had chosen years ago, **_felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas._**

* * *

**October 2121**

When Scorpius died, aged 115, alone at home as his family arranged for him not to be left alone the next day, the anniversary of Rose's death, everyone gathered at her funeral, unsurprised.

He'd lasted longer than they'd expected, but he'd not been truly alive ever since Rose's funeral. And now they were three – or indeed, two, because Alice was merely a shadow of her former self, not remembering them or anyone else, standing at this funeral as blankly as she'd stood at Rose's, at her sister Sarah's and her brother Toby's last year.

The turn-out was so much of a contrast to Lucius' funeral, 83 years ago, where it had occurred in secret to prevent anyone trying to defile the body or the grave. To Draco's 53 years ago, where the only attendants had been direct descendants.

Now there were friends – Scorpius was friends with everyone, from their greengrocer to their apothecary. Old colleagues, reminiscing about how wonderful an Auror Scorpius had been. And official delegates from the Ministry, as was appropriate for a man who had been Head of the Auror Office and recipient of an Order of Merlin, Third Class, for great valour and heroism in the line of duty. The first female, and first Muggleborn Minister for Magic, Aisha Potter, spoke at his funeral. Albus wanted to, he did, but he knew he would be unable to finish. He would have dissolved into tears, as his father had done when he spoke at Hermione's funeral. So he just sat there and felt the loss of the man who had been as much of a brother to him as his own.

The inscription on his tomb would have been _**s****aepe creat molles aspera spina rosas** _- meaning _o__ften the prickly thorn produces tender roses - _if Lily had had her way, for she had loved the novel-like way that Scorpius, this descendant of Death Eaters, had been a hero.

But dead people are easy to overrule, and Albus and Aisha wanted something else remembered of Scorpius Malfoy besides his last name, since he had ever been annoyed by how it was the first thing people thought of, and how so many people considered it a compliment to say 'you're such a good man, you know, considering your parents.'

So they'd chosen something to remember not Scorpius, but the unit that Scorpius and Rose had been. _**Amantium irae amoris integratio est**._

* * *

**May 2128**

When Alice died, aged 122, of sheer old age, her kidneys and liver and lungs giving up on her after so many years of activity, everyone gathered at her funeral, relieved.

It hadn't been a life she'd been living, and it had been a pain to her three daughters and her remaining friends to see her body wander around, empty of everything that Alice had been. Now she was with Lia. Now she was whole, soul and mind hopefully reunited in the next life that Aisha, Lia, Lily and Alice had always believed in. Even if Scorpius and Albus had been right and this life was it, she was suffering no more.

Albus and Aisha were as wrapped together as they'd been at Lysander's funeral, the only difference being that grey hair had replaced black. But they took a back seat at this funeral, two old people hunched to one side. The important people were Amy Finnigan nee Longbottom, who'd followed in her grandfather's footsteps and become Headmistress of Hogwarts. And her child Richard, who'd married Lily's daughter Alameda.

Sophia Spencer, nee Longbottom, who'd proudly married a Muggle, then to have twin sons – one who became Prime Minister of Britain, and the other who'd become Minister of Magic.

Ruby Longbottom, (named for Rubeus Hagrid), who'd married Percy Malfoy but refused to take his name, because she was known professionally as the famous dancer Ruby Longbottom.

They took centre stage here, mourning their mother. But Albus and Aisha remembered a different Alice, really, the Alice who had been at Hogwarts with them.

And the inscription on her grave was a memory of who she'd been, someone who her children had never really grasped. _**Fama crescit eundo.**_

* * *

**Chapter title from Memories. Such a sad, lovely song. (Since I started writing this, I've started picturing my characters to all my songs, so in this one I've got Alice, once the Alzheimer's had taken most of her, sat by the Memory Fountain at Hogwarts. I hate Alzheimer's (my Gran has it) so it's really sad to me.)**

**Also, I had Harry speaking at Hermione funeral. Not Ron's because Ron always had that complex about being overshadowed, and I don't think Harry would have done it at his funeral. And since Hermione died after Ron, she would have wanted Harry to speak, whilst she could have spoken at Ron's. **

**Grave inscriptions:**

**Lily's -_ An insatiable passion to write_  
Rose's - _Happy is she who has been able to learn the causes of things_****  
Scorpius' - _The quarrels of lovers are the renewal of love_  
Alice's - _The rumour grows as it goes_**

**One more chapter in this story, which has come to 65 chapters, and roughly 182,500 words. **

**Longer than anything I've ever written before by far (only 7000 words short of being twice as long as anything else, although if you count Spring's New Dawn, given that it's the same characters, then it is twice as long, and almost 217,000 words!). And longer than any of the first three HP books, the first two books added together, PoA and PS added together, or Half-Blood Prince. And if you count Spring's New Dawn, it's longer than all of them but Order of the Phoenix. **

**x**


	65. So Long To Devotion

**Thank you, to everyone who has read, reviewed, Favourited or Alerted this story! I hope that you've enjoyed reading about these characters. I've certainly enjoyed writing about them.**

**If you reviewed last chapter, thank you again. My final thank you to you all, and it is truly heartfelt. That's: TwistedRaver, shine lots, Marciabarcia, Doni, silverbirch, Arlath's Star, Joelle8, susiipie, Likewow5556, CelticGoddess1986, Twisted Identity, ModernDayRapunzel and SeekDreamsAndFindHope. **

**The bits in italics are from the Prologue, which, if you haven't guessed, is this scene.**

**Last chapter, ever. Weird. My Document Manager is empty now, which is even stranger.**

* * *

**Chapter 65: And So Long To Devotion**

**Albus and Aisha - 2146**

When Albus died, aged 140, asleep with his wife in his bed at home, peacefully and silently, everyone gathered at his funeral, knowing. And now, everyone was just one person. Just Aisha.

He'd done so much in his life – not least of which was reaching his Octarine Wedding Anniversary. That was for one hundred years, a celebration no Muggle reached, and few wizards or witches. They had been married now for 116 years. More than the life span of many.

But they'd known that their time was over. The Wizarding War was more than a History lesson now – it was a subject of museums, an old past. The very idea that Slytherins and Gryffindors hadn't always been best friends was ridiculous to their offspring, who'd never borne the disapproving glances of elders who hadn't approved. Even the idea of pure-blood superiority was laughable – when everyone knew that Muggle inventions were so amazing! They were better than wizardry, and it was wizards who were struggling to keep up, to try adapt Muggle inventions to run on magic.

The most obvious way that they had lived too long had come six years previously. Albus and Aisha had buried their eldest daughter, and she hadn't died before her time, but lived to the ripe age of 101.

_She has seen more loss in her lifetime than most, although not as much as the wizards and witches who came a generation before her. The deaths she has watched have been natural, too, at least for the most part. _

_Not that that made them hurt any less. _

_Eventually, with age came the acceptance that everyone has their time. And now everyone has had their time, but her. Parents, grandparents, siblings, friends and now, finally, her husband. _

So Aisha bid farewell to her last remaining companion. She read the inscription on Albus' grave -**Fortiter, fideliter, forsan feliciter** - and smiled as she knew that nobody would ever read what Lily had written for her. Nobody would ever know what it was, because she would not linger on here.

* * *

When Aisha died, nobody gathered at her funeral, because nobody knew. When or where she succumbed was a mystery - as far as the world knew, Aisha Potter, born Siddiqui, had died on the same day as her husband was buried.

She, a Slytherin, had had the bravery to step into this unknown world of magic and fantasy, where she'd met seven of the best friends that anyone could meet. She, as a Slytherin, had had the wisdom to learn as quickly as she could how to fit in. She, as a Slytherin, had had the loyalty not to cast off friends who had seemed a little slow or whose surnames might hurt her ambition, only to discover as she fought politically that they would indeed help her.

_They'd shared so much. Good times, bad times. Moments which had dulled in her memory, or been cleanly forgotten. There were still a few that shone bright – births, weddings and deaths. In the end it came down to that._

_There were a few other moments too, ordinary days and instants that echoed in the world around her. She lived in a world of ghosts now. _Knowing that she was near to death, she'd returned to England to visit her friends' graves for one final time.

_The smell of vanilla still brought a tear to her eye. _She had been cooking when the news had come about Lysander's plane crash, and the bottle of vanilla extract had slipped from her hands.

_The taste and texture of ice-cream could make her hear a laugh so vivid and distinctive that she would nearly look around to find its maker. _Alice, on an eternal diet, could only be convinced to leave it for the promise of ice-cream.

_It was impossible to remember exactly what happened, but you could try. She'd never been one to cling onto the past – she lived for the future – but she still had a few records. Not the legions of diaries that Alice had written, nor the Pensieve that Rose had maintained. Not the poems Lysander had written, and thought nobody knew about. Not the voice recordings Scorpius had made, fearful of forgetting just how he felt. _

_Only pictures. Photographs, snapshots. Mostly wizarding, a few Muggle. Not taken by herself – she had little skill with a camera, nor drawn by Lorcan, who had considerable talent with a pen. Usually by Lia, who was better than most at photography, having the patience and the empathy to provoke the right response from a subject._

_Not many, either. They hadn't even filled the album she had kept them in. And which she now took them out of, allowing herself one last lingering look before scattering them over the graves._

By Albus Potter's headstone she left one that someone had taken during the fateful match when Albus had first kissed her, impulsive and unrealising what it would lead to.

In the same cemetery, Lia and Alice rested eternally side by side. With Lia she left a picture of the young girl as Beater, golden hair streaming behind her, a wooden bat in her hands and a laugh on her face as she swung it with force. With Alice she put a photo taken during the summer that Alice and Aisha had worked together at the Longbottom's pub, of Alice with her mouth jokingly poised beneath the tap that released the goblin-made ale.

Rose and Scorpius were buried in the Malfoy family plot, in the same grave. They had one picture between them – on the beach after they married, hand in hand and running towards the ocean.

_She visited three cemeteries. In reality, the remains of her friends were strewn across three continents, but their gravestones were not, and it was here that she left pictures. Pictures of unlined faces, hair which had not yet greyed._

Lorcan, Lysander and Lily rested theoretically in the same place. Of course, there'd been nothing left of Lysander to bury, but there was a headstone and it was here that she left a photo of him bargaining with her to write the graduation speech, taken by Lia. By Lorcan she left the photo of him in third-year, down by the lake, next to Lily and staring, absorbed, by baby squid as a giant tentacle waved threateningly above their heads.

Lily was the only one to receive a hand-drawn picture. Drawn by Lorcan. She was shown in the full flush of her youth, and yet she was writing in a way that she had only done after her husband's death, smooth hands gripping a quill that raced frantically across a page, always trying to beat the race against Death even as she'd once tried to beat her older brother's friends.

_Hands very different from her own, as her hand, shaking with arthritis and spotted by age, let the photographs fall. As she let go of them, she brought back the memories she had pushed down for ease of living. Allowed the spectres of the past which had only accumulated with time to rise up and accompany her as she left for her final journey._

But not alone. Dead, her friends might be. But their friendship had been a bond beyond that, and they were not separated. Only waiting.

* * *

**A chapter title from Human, by the Killers, a song which I always imagine Aisha to, from first hearing about Hogwarts, to first arriving at Platform Nine And Three Quarters, all the way through her life. It means 'so long to devotion' in the way of goodbye. Not sure who uses 'so long' as slang for goodbye, but I know someone does. **

**_Bravely, faithfully, perhaps successfully _is what Al's inscription says.**

**Thank you all for reading this to the end. **

**I've enjoyed writing this, and I hope that this last chapter was a good end. **

x


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